Don't Let Them See Your Back
by xVampirexElegancex
Summary: When Pegasus's daughter is sent to Domino City in his place, she is intrigued by the youth with a Millennium Item around his neck. She soon discovers just how much that Item is connected to her, and how much chaos it can cause when sought by a thief.
1. Chapter 1

Fate. It was a tricky little thing. Already, I had seen how it could bring about a man's fortune, or his downfall. One could never fully know his destiny until it had been fulfilled, and often, one was led to pursue his destiny other than where it lied. For instance, a man could pursue his talents in music, only to realize that his fate was to be an architect. Or a woman could chase after her dreams of traveling the world, only to find herself married with four children before she became twenty-five. Yes, I knew about fate and destiny. I knew how it had destroyed my family. My father knew his fate, but had adamantly refused to accept it, vowing to search the world until he could find a way around it. Many years ago, he thought he had. While in Egypt, he had discovered something, an ancient object with great power. It had become a part of him since then, affecting him in ways neither of us had ever thought possible. It had also opened a door of opportunity for him to reverse the events that had caused him such sorrow. My father is Maximillion Pegasus, owner of Industrial Illusions, creator of Duel Monsters, and the only man who can wield the powers of the Millennium Eye. My name is Naomi Pegasus, his only daughter and sole heir to his fortune. My mother, Cecelia, had died when I was very small, and my father had devoted his entire life to finding a way to bring her back. When he had found the Millennium Eye and discovered the secrets of its power, he became determined to collect the other items, hoping to harness their abilities and find some ancient way of cheating death.

A year or so after my father had taken possession of the Millennium Eye, I was sitting in the dining hall, curled up with a novel and a plate of fresh fruit. Reading was my favorite pastime, and I was rarely seen without the company of a book. My father strode in through the double doors, and I looked up, smiling, as he sat.

"Ah, Naomi, my dear. Just the person I wanted to see. I need to discuss something with you."

I closed the book and set it on the table. "Yes?"

"I'm having a little tournament here in a couple of weeks; the best duelists from around the country will be coming here to compete." He placed his hand over mine. "I was wondering if perhaps you'd be willing to go spend some time at the summer house. Bridgette would go with you, of course. What do you say?"

I was silent for a moment. My father had never sent me away before; he always preferred to have me close by. He said it was because I told funny stories, but I knew it was because I reminded him so much of my mother. Except for my hair, I looked almost identical to her. Although he had never wanted me away from our island before, I knew that he always had a good reason to ask something like this of me. I smiled.

"If it would make you happy, I'll be glad to go."

"Excellent! I'll have the maids pack your things, and you can leave tomorrow morning!"

Tomorrow? The tournament didn't start for a couple of weeks, why was he sending me off tomorrow? _Oh well, _I thought, _it's best not to question it._ My father was quite an eccentric man, and his methods were better left unexplained. There was one question I could not leave un-asked, however.

"Father?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Why are you sending me away? You've never wanted me gone before."

It was just barely noticeable, but his one human eye darkened slightly. "I'd rather not have you on an island where a hundred teenage boys are running loose."

Ah, that made sense. He had always been very protective of me, keeping a tight watch on me whenever we traveled. It became rather tedious at times, but I knew he only had good intentions at heart. I smiled.

"Then tomorrow morning it is."

He smiled and squeezed my hand. "Thank you for understanding, Naomi."

And with that, he left the room. I sighed, smiled absently, then returned to my book. I had learned long ago to accept my father's many oddities, such as his love for comics and cartoons. Often, if I simply let him carry on with his plans, all my questions were answered and they usually turned out for the best.

After I'd reached a good stopping point in my book, I rose and went to my room to help Bridgette pack my things. As I went, I passed a large, gilded mirror in the hall. For some reason, I stopped and stared at my reflection. I was well aware of the knowledge that I was the spitting image of my mother, from the many portraits my father had painted of her before she died. I was in every aspect her twin, except for my hair. I got my snowy, pin-straight hair from my father. Once, I had suggested that I dye my hair, just to experiment with a different look. Father protested so vehemently about this that I dropped the subject. I could only guess that he didn't want to forget his link to my mother. I was the link between them, the only proof that their love had been real. He needed my presence, my very appearance, to remind him that he was fighting for something important. This was another reason why the fact that he was sending me away made no sense. He'd given me an excuse, but I had a feeling that it wasn't the real reason. I sighed and shook my head. It would be best to just do as he said. I smiled at my reflection, then went on to help the maid pack.

The next morning, I stood at the docks, watching as my things were loaded onto the boat that would take me and Bridgette to the summer house. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see my father looking down at me. He smiled, but it seemed just a little bit sad. He absently brushed away a few strands of hair that had blown into my face.

"Promise you'll write?"

"Every day, Father."

He wrapped his arms around me, and I felt his hand stroke my hair once, affectionately. There seemed to be something in that embrace, as if he didn't expect to see me again. It was strange, and a little bit unsettling, but I shook it off. I was prone to over-analyzation, and tended to make a big deal out of nothing. He released me, and waved me on. "Go ahead. Don't worry, this tournament shouldn't last terribly long. I'll send for you soon."

In an instant, every instinct in my body was telling me not to get on the boat, to stay on this island. There seemed to be a cloud of impending danger surrounding him, and I felt the powerful urge to protect him by staying by his side. I shook my head; of course, this was silly and untrue. There was just going to be a friendly Duel Monsters tournament, nothing that would put my father in danger. After all, what harm could a bunch of teenagers do?


	2. Chapter 2

I boarded the watercraft, giving my father one final wave before going below decks. It would be at least three hours before we reached the summer house, so I made myself comfortable with a book by my favorite fantasy writer.

The next couple of weeks spent at the summer home were peaceful, and I had to admit, this was a lot nicer than having to deal with preparations for a tournament. Most of the time, I sat outside in the garden reading, but occasionally, I'd venture into the nearby forest and explore, or window shop in the small town close by. And of course, I wrote to my father every day. There wasn't really much to tell, but I knew he wanted to hear from me nonetheless. It was always pleasant to wake up and see that familiar red envelope that held his reply on my bedside table. He told me about some of the duelists that were planning on coming, most of them regional champions, and all of them competent challengers. It sounded as if he was having all kinds of fun, but something still didn't feel right. There was just something off about his letters, something I couldn't put my finger on. I couldn't wait to come back home.

Fifteen days after the morning I'd left our island, the tournament, which he'd named Duelist Kingdom, began. Duelists were pouring in from all over the country to compete for glory and for the grand prize: $3 million dollars and the chance to challenge Maximillion Pegasus himself, the creator of Duel Monsters and holder of the rarest cards in the world. If he were defeated, he could ask my father to grant one wish, and he would do so to the fullest extent possible. I was fairly confident that my father would never be beaten; he knew the ins and outs of the game better than anyone else. After all, it was his creation. He seemed to have strategy down to an art form, to the point where he could predict with stunning accuracy the next moves his opponents were going to make. I'd certainly never beaten him, and he'd taught me everything he knew. Of course, I wasn't as serious about the game as he was; to me, it was just a card game. I preferred to pass my time with books, at least I learned something with each turn of a page. With Duel Monsters, it seemed to only be about violence, about out-maneuvering and trapping the opponent. It was only a small way to wage war, and that simply was not my cup of tea.

My father's letter the morning that the tournament started was unusually short, and I assumed it was because his time was filled with preparations. He simply sent wishes for my well-being, briefly expressed his excitement for the upcoming competitions, and ended the note by saying, "Perhaps we can attain something quite valuable from our guests. After all, each person has something unique to give. Ta-ta, my dear." I thought that was rather cryptic of him, but decided that it meant nothing. I expected he hoped to discover some new dueling strategies, although what he hoped they could possibly teach him was beyond me.

Two more days passed. I had sent another letter, but had received no reply. I was worried, but managed, with Bridgette's reassurances, to shake it off. He was extraordinarily busy; I heard from the men who traveled by boat every day between our island and the summer home to deliver letters that there had been several bouts of cheating and stealing. I supposed Father had to deal with those who were attempting dishonesty to win their duels. I hoped that anyone caught cheating would be immediately disqualified from the tournament, although knowing my father, he would just consider it all part of the fun. He'd want the best duelists to really test their skills by pitting them against those who tipped the odds in their favor, and seeing if they could still manage to defeat them.

On the fourth day after the tournament started, the boat came back not bearing a letter, but the head of my father's security and his right-hand man, Croquet. I wasn't particularly fond of the man; he seemed too willing to bow and smile when my father gave an order. He walked up to me where I sat curled up on a sun-drenched sofa, absorbed in the final chapters of a mystery novel. I looked up, and instantly, I had the horrible feeling that something was wrong. "Croquet! What are you doing here?"

"Master Pegasus sent me to collect you myself. I'm afraid he's taken ill."

"Oh, no. Is it serious?"

"He'll be okay, miss, but he wants to see you."

I stood. "Of course. We'll go right now. We can send for my things later."

He nodded and motioned for me to follow him. Instead of a boat, we climbed into a helicopter that stood waiting for use in the hangar. It would cut about an hour and a half from our travel time. I didn't speak for the duration of the flight, but simply sat with my arms wrapped around my waist. I'd had a feeling that something was going to go wrong. I hadn't trusted myself to act on this feeling, and now something had happened to Father. I refused to believe he was just ill.

When we arrived on the island, I jumped out of the helicopter before it had fully landed, running as fast as I could into the castle. I'd seldom been to my father's room, but I knew this castle almost as well as he did, and had no trouble finding it. There were two guards standing outside of his door, and one of them put his hand on my shoulder. "Miss Naomi, hold on-"

"No! My father's ill and he needs me!" I wrenched away and burst through the door. "Father?"

"Here, dearest."

He was sitting up in bed, watching me. I went to his side, taking his hand. "Are you alright? Croquet said you were ill and wanted to see me."

He sighed. "Yes, of course. I need you to go to Domino City. There's a bit of business that needs to be conducted there. You've heard me speak of Duke Devlin?"

"That boy that invented the dice game."

"Yes. I've decided to partner with him and market his game. I need you to act as a liaison for Industrial Illusions, as I'm unable to go."

I frowned. "But Father, why me?"

"Because the only person who knows this company as well as I do is you."

I shook my head. "No. I meant, why aren't you able to go? Croquet said you were ill, but you don't look sick to me."

He turned away. "Oh, Naomi, Croquet was right. I'm not…myself anymore. It's nothing that threatens my life, don't worry. But…something happened during the tournament. There was a boy. He had another item, a Millennium Ring, around his neck. Its powers were strong, incredibly strong." He paused, as if he were gathering his words. "He took my Millennium Eye."

I gasped as he turned to face me completely, and I saw the patch of gauze that had been fixed over the socket where his Eye had been. That Eye had been his final hope that someday, he could bring back my mother. It was all he had left. It was his final anchor. And some strange boy with a Ring had stolen it from him. Anger rose hot in my throat, and I squeezed my father's hand.

"Who did this to you? I promise you, I'll find them. I won't let them take away what's yours."

"No! Marika, you must not! This boy is dangerous. I can live without the Eye, but I won't risk losing you."

"But Father-"

"Promise me you won't try and find him. Promise me!"

I smiled. "Alright, take it easy. I promise I won't go looking for him." I chewed my lip for a moment, thinking. "Can you at least describe him? I'll be taking a couple men with me, and if he approaches me, I want them to be on guard. What did he look like, do you remember?"

"Of course. He has spiky white hair, very long. He's tall, slender. He's got that Millennium Ring around his neck, and his voice is harsh, with an accent. British, I think." He grabbed my hand. "Please. If you see him, run away. I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Don't worry about me. I'll take Rupert with me, I'd trust him with my life. When do you need me to leave?"

"Tonight. You must be in Domino City as soon as possible. I kept the deal on hold until after the tournament, but that boy is desperate for an answer. He's been emailing me at least once a day."

"Alright. I'll stop at the summer home to get the rest of my things and we'll leave on the helicopter as soon as we can." My brow furrowed. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"Of course. This business deal has to be carried out as soon as possible. You know what to do. And Naomi," he added, "take my deck. You may need it."

He settled back onto the pillow, and I took that as my cue to leave. After all, there was a lot of work to be done. I needed to review the files on Duke Devlin, run over the game schematics, and work out any last minute details that could be resolved without a face-to-face meeting. The maids would pack my remaining things while I worked. I'd promised my father that I wouldn't try to find the boy that had attacked him, and this was true. What I had neglected to mention was, if by some chance I did find this boy, I would chase him down myself and take back my father's Eye. Ring or no Ring, he was only a thief, and I was quite able to take care of myself. If need be, I'd duel him for it. If he had stooped to stealing, he obviously wasn't talented enough to fight for what he wanted, and I was confident that I could defeat him.

As the sun set, I sat back from the glowing computer screen, rubbing my eyes. I leaned back in the padded chair and twisted my ring around my finger. It was a simple thing, just a plain gold band with no gems or designs. Still, I cherished it. My father, on one of his excursions to Egypt, had found this ring in an old tomb and had brought it back for me. It was ancient, thousands of years old, but still held a liquid luster when held in the light. I always wore it on the ring finger of my right hand, as a way to always have my father close.

When we left that night, there was just the faintest blush of red on the western horizon. Devlin had arranged a meeting at his game shop the next morning at nine, and I needed to get as much sleep as possible between now and then. I wanted to be as sharp as I could, to make sure this partnership cut us both the best deal. Besides, Duke Devlin was about my age, and I was looking forward to meeting him. He sounded intriguing.


	3. Chapter 3

Rupert shook me awake gently as the helicopter landed in Domino city. The sun was barely rising, bringing a faint pink smudge to the edges of the sky. Lodging had been provided by a hotel chain my father owned, and I slept the remaining three hours in a five-star suite.

Devlin's game shop was not far from the hotel, and the morning was beautifully cool, so I decided to walk. Rupert came with me, of course, as well as Anton. We arrived just before nine to find the doors unlocked and lights off inside. I stepped in tentatively. "Hello? Mr. Devlin?"

"Back here!"

I looked toward the back of the shop and suddenly, the lights flashed on, blinding me momentarily. I heard a boy's voice coming closer. "Sorry about that."

I blinked and looked up. "That's quite alright." I finally got a good look at him, and it seemed as though my heart stopped for an instant. He was tall and toned, of slender build, with long jet-black hair that was pulled back. Strands of it spilled over his headband and framed his face, and the darkness of his hair was startling against his vivid green eyes. A long black streak had been painted down his left cheek, and from his left ear hung a single die on a long strand. One large bracelet circled each wrist, and golden armlets were wrapped around his upper arms. He was, simply put, beautiful. I smiled and tried to catch my breath.

"Are you Duke Devlin?"

"Yes, I am. And you must be Naomi." He took my hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise." For a moment, it was silent except for muted birdsong coming from outside. Then, he gestured to a doorway that led to a side room. "Shall we?"

"Yes, of course."

He led the way, holding open the door for me. There was a circular table with four chairs set at it. Before I could seat myself, Duke was pulling out a chair and winking at me roguishly. I couldn't keep a smile off my face as I sat, murmuring a thank you. Rupert stared hard at Duke as he entered the room, but Anton's eyes were hidden behind mirrored sunglasses. He was to act as a sort of stenographer, recording everything that happened during the meeting. Rupert, as was his specialty, was here in case anyone threatened my safety. He'd protected me for as long as I could remember.

The meeting passed smoothly, taking no more than a couple of hours. Duke was extremely excited about being partnered with Industrial Illusions, and it was easy to tell that he greatly admired my father. Once the meeting was concluded, he challenged me to a friendly game of Dungeon Dice Monsters, just to teach me the basics. I agreed, although in hindsight, accepting a challenge from the creator of the game was probably unwise. He beat me pretty severely, but was good-natured about it, laughing at my amateur mistakes and showing me what I was doing wrong. Truth be told, I wasn't really focusing on the game as much as I should have been. It was hard to concentrate on anything when Duke was nearby. He was captivating, and often when he would catch me looking at him, I would blush, cursing my pale cheeks for giving away my emotion so easily. I'd met many boys my age through my father's travels, many of them handsome and most of them from wealthy families. However, I'd never met anyone as attractive as Duke. He was like a piece of art at a museum; while I had no interest in making him mine, it was nice just to be able to look.

When the game concluded, Duke glanced at the wall clock. "Do you have plans for the rest of the day, Naomi?"

"No. Why?"

"Well, I'm meeting my friends in about twenty minutes, and I'd like to introduce you. They're a really great group, and I think you'd like them. Besides, after all this business, I think you need to have some fun." He smiled impishly. "If you know just how entertaining Domino City can be, maybe it'll give you an incentive to come here more often."

I felt heat pooling in my cheeks. "I'd love to meet your friends."

"Great!" He glanced over at Rupert and Anton, then leaned toward me and whispered conspiratorially, "Is there any way we can ditch the bodyguards?"

I gave him knowing half-smile. "Watch this." I stood and faced them. "I have no further need of your services today, gentlemen. Consider the rest of the day as a day off."

Rupert stood. "But Miss Naomi, our orders were to protect you."

"I've never been to Domino City before, but it doesn't seem to be the kind of place with armed assassins on every streetcorner. I'll be just fine with Duke, he knows his way around. Besides, we'll be in a group, and there's strength in numbers, right? You deserve a little time to yourselves."

Rupert opened his mouth to speak again, but I cut him off. "That's my final word on the matter, Rupert." He shut his mouth, looking perplexed, then looked back at Anton, who shrugged. They exited the shop, with one final look at me.

When they had gone, I turned back to Duke and pretended to dust off my hands. He tipped me a wink and applauded. "Well done, Naomi." He stepped around the table and offered his arm to me. "Shall we?"

I took it, smiling and blushing in spite of myself. "After you."

The walk itself took about fifteen minutes, and we didn't stop talking the entire way. Duke kept my arm threaded through his, as if he wanted me close. It felt shallow of me, but I had to admit it was nice to be seen with a boy as stunning as Duke on my first trip to Domino City. I hadn't reached the celebrity status my father had (and that was perfectly fine with me; I had no interest in being in the public eye), but still, a few knew who I was, or at least who I resembled. After all, very few had hair quite like mine and my father's.

I was surprised when we came to another game shop. "You're friends with someone who owns a rival shop?"

He smiled. "Well, technically, he doesn't own it. His grandfather does. Anyway, he sells only Duel Monsters cards, so it's not really a threat to my business."

"If you say so."

Duke released my arm and opened the door for me. I nodded my thanks and entered, waiting for him to join me before proceeding. After all, these were his friends, not mine. It would be rude to just walk in. Duke waved to a group of four standing at the back of the shop. "Hey, guys!"

They returned his wave, smiling. "Duke!" I followed him, walking toward the foursome.

"Guys, I'd like to introduce you to my new friend, Naomi." I stepped out from behind Duke and smiled. "Naomi, this is Joey Wheeler," he indicated a tall boy with shaggy, tousled blonde hair and a mischievous air about him, "Tristan Taylor," a taller boy with gelled brown hair and a tough-guy stance, "Tea Gardner," a girl with short brown hair and wide, honest eyes, "and Yugi Muto." Yugi was short, with the oddest hair I'd ever seen. It was blonde in the front, long spikes of it hanging by his face, and in the back, it was tall, spiky, and black, edged with maroon. Around his neck hung what appeared to be a large pendant in the shape of a pyramid. There was something about him that piqued my interest, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Aside from that, the names Joey Wheeler and Yugi Muto were somehow so familiar to me, even though I knew I'd never met them before.

Joey stepped forward with a big goofy smile on his face. "Nice to meet you, Naomi." When he spoke, he had an accent, as if he were from another part of the country; Brooklyn, perhaps, or somewhere close to it. I noticed that his cheeks were slightly pink, as if he were blushing. Tristan pushed him out of the way so he could take my hand. "Yeah, any friend of Duke's is a friend of ours." I was little taken aback at how aggressively he pushed Joey aside, and I wasn't quite sure what it meant. "Um, thank you."

I looked over at Tea for help, and she shook her head. "Just ignore them, they're always like this." I smiled in a nervous sort of way, but in reality, it was kind of sweet to see them tripping over themselves. Finally, once Tristan and Joey had stepped back from me, Yugi stepped up and held out his hand, looking timid. "It's very nice to meet you." There was something very innocent about him, but behind that shy exterior lay something that was very compelling. I was straining to figure out what it was, and I happened to look down at his pendant. On the front was the same symbol that had been on my father's Millennium Eye. So he possessed another of the Millennium Items!

Duke cleared his throat behind me. "So, what are our plans for the day? I promised Naomi a day on the town."

Tea smiled. "When in doubt, to the mall!" I laughed behind my hand; I liked Tea's style, girly but forceful. Everyone seemed to agree, so we left for the mall. On the way, Joey and Tristan seemed to be jostling each other to see who could walk closest to me, asking me questions the entire time. I never mentioned my last name; I didn't want them to think I used my father's fame and wealth to make friends. At last, we arrived at the mall, and I had to say, I was really looking forward to whatever the day had in store for us. As soon as we entered, lunchtime aromas came wafting from the Food Court, and Joey and Tristan began to clutch their stomachs and moan as if they hadn't eaten in weeks. I laughed and insisted that I treat everyone to lunch. Yugi looked up at me in disbelief.

"Naomi, you don't have to do that."

Tea joined him. "Yeah, that's really not necessary."

Joey leapt in front of her. "Tea, are you nuts? Our new best friend is offering us free food!"

I put my hand on Tea's shoulder. "Don't worry about it. Let's just say I come from a wealthy family, and I have money to spare. Please. It's the least I can do for you guys after you let me tag along with you." Tea smiled reluctantly and Yugi grinned broadly.

"Wow! Thanks, Naomi."

Before I could say anything, Joey threw his arms around my neck and squeezed, hugging me rather vigorously and cutting off my air. "You are the best!" He kissed my cheek and ran off to join Tristan in the line in front of a burger stand. I stood, stunned for a moment, then blushed in spite of myself. I wasn't really interested in him, but he was sweet. He kind of reminded me of a puppy; always happy to see you and full of energy. We pushed a couple of tables together for lunch, and I noticed that Yugi had purchased the cheapest thing on the menu. I'd told them to get anything they wanted, to disregard the price, but he had been cost-conscious anyway, for my sake. My heart warmed just a little at his thoughtfulness, even though it was unnecessary. There was something about that boy, and while at first I'd thought it was his Millennium Item, something deep inside me told me that it wasn't just that. I decided that I needed to talk more to this boy, learn more about him. Maybe then, I'd uncover some hidden quality that would explain my sudden rush of affection for him.


	4. Chapter 4

After we'd finished eating, Tea and I dragged the boys through some boutiques. I purchased a new pair of shoes, a dress, two tops, and a pair of sunglasses. Tea looked wistfully through the clothes, but put them all back. I noticed she lingered over a gold necklace with a two loops threaded through each other. I looked down at it and smiled. "Do you know what that is, Tea?"

"No."

"It's a friendship knot." I pointed at it through the glass display case. "You see how the two loops are tied together? If you pull on them and try to break the knot, the loops only tighten, creating something stronger and indestructible." I motioned to the man behind the jewelry counter. "Put that in a bag, please. We'll take it."

Tea looked at me, her eyes wide. "No, Naomi, please. I can't let you do that. You've already spent enough money on me."

I held up my hand. "Too late." I smiled. "It's already yours." I handed her the bag and handed the cashier the appropriate amount of money for the necklace. She didn't look at me, but down at her feet. "Naomi…I don't know what to say."

"Say thank you and put it on." She did so, and smiled. I noticed that her eyes were shimmering, as if tears had pooled in them.

Just then, Joey started the yell from just outside the shop's doors. "C'mon already! We gotta get to the arcade before all the good games are taken!"

Tea and I looked at each other, and burst out laughing at the same time. "I guess boys and their toys won't be kept apart for long. C'mon, Tea. I'd like to try my hand at one of those dancing games."

Her face brightened. "Those are my favorites! I have to warn you, I'm a top-notch dancer."

"Is that a challenge?"

Tea laughed. "It is now!"

"You're on!"

We left the store, and I winked at Joey. "Here, Joey. Since you were so eager to get out of here, you can carry the bags."

He groaned, but took them from me. Tristan laughed and teased him, until I threatened to buy something else and make him carry it. That quieted him. The arcade was crowded when we got there, so Tea grabbed my wrist and pulled me over to the only available dancing game. She started it up, and when the game began, I had to admit she was a much better dancer than I was. She beat me without breaking a sweat. Yugi and Duke had come to cheer us on, Duke chanting my name and Yugi chanting Tea's. I climbed off the platform and shook Tea's hand.

"You're really good, Tea!"

"You too, Naomi."

"Not quite good enough to beat you."

Duke threw his arm around my shoulder. "Maybe not, but I think you can hold your own."

We found Tristan and Joey at a racing game, and it was pretty clear that Joey was winning. After Joey came in first, Tristan got up from the seat in disgust. I sat down in the recently vacated playing booth and smiled at Joey. "My turn!"

He looked a little taken aback, but grinned and accepted my challenge. He put up quite a fight, but I managed to beat him. I think it was because he was a little more reluctant to run me off the road than he would have been for Tristan. He shook my hand as we climbed out of the booths. "Nice racing, for a girl!"

I let that one slide. We spent at least two more hours in the arcade, and finally, we'd had enough of the flashing lights and ringing bells. We left, laughing, and just outside the door, I ran into someone, knocking me back into a wall. My head knocked against the glass jamb, and I saw white stars flash across my vision. I rubbed the back of my head and heard a rough, gravelly voice.

"Watch where you're going, loser."

I knew that voice. I blinked to clear my vision, and there was the voice's owner. Seto Kaiba. I'd met him before when he and my father would conduct business meetings. He was shrewd, direct, completely no-nonsense and completely focused on strengthening his company. All in all, a forceful ally and a frightening enemy. I rubbed the back of my head, trying to soothe the sharp pain.

"I'm sorry, Kaiba."

His eyes widened; he must have recognized me. Before either of us could say or do anything else, Joey jumped in front of me. "Why don't _you_ watch where you're going, rich boy? _You_ walked into _her_!"

Yugi put his hand on my arm shyly. "Are you alright, Naomi?"

I winced. "I'll be fine."

Now Kaiba had focused his unpleasant attitude on Joey. "Where I walk is none of your business, Wheeler." He looked down and saw the bags in Joey's hands. "Buy some new clothes to impress your boyfriend, did you?"

Joey turned a deep red and grabbed the front of Kaiba's shirt. "Alright, that's it! I've had it with you and your attitude, pal!" To my horror, he pulled back one clenched fist. I reached for him, but I was too late.

"Joey, no!"

Just as his fist was about to smash into Kaiba's face, he caught it in his own hand. Kaiba forced Joey's arm up behind his back and slammed his head down into a plastic table. Tristan and Duke ran to Kaiba and pulled on his shoulders, trying to get him off of Joey, who was gasping for air. All of a sudden, next to me, I heard a deep, confident voice. "Kaiba, that's enough! Release him!"

I turned and gasped. That voice had come from Yugi, but it wasn't the shy, innocent voice I'd heard before. As I looked closer, I realized that there were subtle differences. He was slightly taller, longer of frame, and stood with a more confident stance. But most of all, his eyes were different. They were sharper, more determined, and perhaps just the tiniest bit angry.

It was then I realized that my ring was warm, warmer than my own body heat should have made it. A little bit warmer and it would be uncomfortable to wear. I didn't understand why my ring was suddenly heating up, but instinctively, I knew it had something to do with Yugi's mysterious transformation. I couldn't take my eyes off of him, even when Kaiba released Joey and advanced toward Yugi. He was silent for a moment, and I could tell the two were having a non-verbal power struggle.

Finally, Kaiba spoke. "Keep your friend on a tighter leash, Yugi. I won't go so easy on him next time." He nodded in my direction. "Nice to see you again, Naomi." With one last look of contempt in Joey's direction, he stalked off.

Suddenly, my vision swam and my head began to throb. I slumped against the wall, holding my head and sliding until I was seated on the floor. Yugi knelt next to me and put his arm around my shoulder, his other hand still on my arm.

"Naomi, are you alright? Can you stand?"

I smiled weakly. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just a bump, I'll be okay."

He helped me to my feet, steadying me gently. Our eyes met, and it was as if a bolt of electricity had passed through my body. There was something so deep in his eyes, something that was serious and direct, but gentle and kind at the same time. Beyond that, there was time in his eyes, as if they had seen centuries pass before them and had not closed. I wondered how a boy who was younger than I was could hold so much time in his gaze.

After a moment, those eyes that had struck me so widened and looked down at his Item. I might have imagined it, but there seemed to be a faint glow around it. Perhaps it was burning as my ring had done, although it made no sense why these two unrelated pieces of jewelry should simultaneously grow warm to the touch.

Tea was tending to Joey, but he was brushing himself off and assuming his usual tough-guy attitude. "I'm fine, Tea. I could've taken that spoiled rich boy." He looked over and saw Yugi steadying me. "Naomi, are you alright? Did he hurt you?"

"No, Joey. I'm fine."

Duke looked at me curiously. "What did Kaiba mean when he said, 'Nice to see you _again_'?"

I blushed. "It's kind of a long story." Duke's, Joey's, and Tristan's eyes narrowed. I felt a little bit embarrassed. "Um, well, you know how I said that my family was really wealthy?" I sighed, not really wanting to say it but seeing no other way around it. "It's because my father owns Industrial Illusions."

Yugi and Tea gasped, Joey and Tristan gave strange little yelps, but Duke just looked slightly taken aback. He knew I'd had connections to Industrial Illusions, but I'd never told him Maximillion Pegasus was my father. I suppose he must have thought I was simply employed by the company. To my surprise, Tea looked angry.

"You mean to tell us that Pegasus is your father?"

"Yes. I know Kaiba because our companies do business together." Joey looked as if he was choking, and Yugi simply looked vexed. He turned to look at me.

"Naomi, you do know about the tournament that took place a week or so ago?"

"Of course. Duelist Kingdom." All of a sudden, it hit me. Now I knew why Yugi and Joey's names were so familiar. "You two were finalists, weren't you? Joey, you came in second! And Yugi…you won, didn't you?" He and Joey nodded, but their stony expressions didn't lift. I suddenly felt very worried. "What's going on? Did something happen?"

Yugi's brow furrowed. "You don't know?"

"No. My father sent me away to the summer home for the duration of the tournament. He said he didn't feel comfortable with me being on an island full of teenage boys with something to prove." A sinking feeling of dread pooled in my stomach. "What happened?"

Yugi sighed. "Naomi, I'm sure you know that your father possesses a Millennium Item. An eye, to be precise." I nodded. "That Millennium Eye gave him an extensive range of Shadow powers, including the ability to capture people's souls. He used it to take the souls of three people; Seto Kaiba, his brother Mokuba, and my grandfather. He did this so he could lure us to his castle, to defeat me in a duel and gain my Millennium Puzzle."

I felt as if I'd been punched in the stomach. If what they were telling me was true, then the man I knew, the man I loved, had become a cruel villain the likes of which I thought only existed in horror stories. Tears welled in my eyes. "Tell me everything that happened to you."

Yugi sighed. "Before the tournament even started, he challenged me to a Shadow game. His Eye gave him the power to read my mind and see which cards I was going to play, and when I couldn't defeat him, he took my grandfather's soul to ensure that I would attend the tournament. He baited Seto Kaiba in the same way, capturing his brother and stealing his soul. Kaiba was also challenged to a duel, and when Pegasus defeated him, Kaiba lost his soul, as well."

I cringed; it felt as if my heart was being ripped from my chest. So many people had been hurt, so many lives had been altered. My father could not have done this…and yet, there was no reason for Yugi to lie. He didn't seem like the kind of person who would make up stories just to hurt others. His voice rang with bitter truth.

"When I became the last finalist, I was able to challenge Pegasus, with the agreement that if I should win, he'd free all the souls he'd captured."

"And you won."

"Yes. He was true to his word." I couldn't keep the tears from spilling down my cheeks. Yugi put his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sorry; this must be hard for you to hear."

I nodded. "My father…I know he's not an evil man, but I didn't know that he could be so cruel." I looked up at Yugi, his face shimmering behind a veil of tears. "I'm truly sorry for what he did to you and your friends. If I'd known, I would've put a stop to it." Something struck me, like a slap to the face. "That's why he wanted me gone. He didn't want me to interfere. He didn't want me to get in his way."

Tea put her hand on my shoulder. "It's okay, Naomi, you didn't know. It's not your fault."

Tristan, who had been mostly silent, suddenly spoke up. "Wait a minute! If Pegasus is your father, then that means the woman in the painting…was that your mother?"

I nodded. "Cecelia. Yes. He was always searching for a way to bring her back." I stiffened. "That letter. The day the tournament started, my father sent me a letter that said something about obtaining something valuable from the duelists. He must have meant your Puzzle. If all Millennium Items contain as much power as his Eye did, maybe he wanted to use them somehow. "

Joey stepped in front of me and gave me a soft smile. "Hey. Listen, if you makes you feel any better, we know why Pegasus did all that. He was just trying to bring back your mom."

Tea stepped in. "He thought he could do that by combining the magic of the Millennium Items with KaibaCorps's holographic technology."

I looked up at her. "How do you know all this?"  
>"We read his journal. It explained everything."<p>

I straightened. "I am so sorry for what my father's done. But you have to understand, while his methods may have been despicable, his heart was in the right place. He simply wanted my mother back. Having possession of the Eye, it changed him. It drove him a little mad. If he had been in his right mind, he never would have dreamed of hurting you." I hung my head. It had felt nice to have friends, even if it was just for an afternoon. I began to walk away, when I felt a hand on my arm. It was Yugi, but he was back to being the sweet, shy boy that he'd been when we met.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm sure my family's caused you enough pain. Thank you for letting me come with you today."

Joey spoke up. "Whoa. What makes you think we want you to leave?"  
>I was stunned. "After all my father did…I thought…"<p>

Tea stepped in. "Naomi, you're not your father. You've shown us today that you've got more kindness and heart than he ever did. You may be Pegasus's daughter, but you're also our friend."

I couldn't believe it. I had known this group for less than a day, and they were already willing to stay by my side. Living in rather isolated conditions either traveling or on the island for most of my life didn't lend much opportunity to make friends. I turned back to them with a weak smile.

"Thank you."

Tristan smiled. "Don't sweat it, Naomi."

I stood beaming at them, my heart swelling with emotion. I'd never seen such acceptance, such forgiveness. I knew that even though I'd only met this group this morning, we were going to be friends for a very long time.

Duke stuck his hands in his pockets. "So…what now?"

I grinned and pulled out my deck, fanning out the cards. "Anyone up for a friendly duel?"

Joey laughed and pulled out his own deck. "You're on, Naomi! Don't worry, I'll go easy on you."

I wagged a finger at him. "I may not be as ruthless as my father when it comes to dueling, but he taught me everything I know."

* * *

><p><em>So it's all out in the open now...OR IS IT? :3 Please review, thanks!<em>


	5. Chapter 5

We went back to Mr. Muto's shop, and I was grateful for that; I'd have enough of crowds for one day. Joey challenged me first, and although he put up a good fight, I managed to beat him. After I'd won, Yugi looked up at me, his eyes wide and curious. "Is that…?"

"My father's deck? Yes, it is. Would you like to see it?"

I handed it to him, and he, Joey, and Duke crowded around to look at all the rare and unique cards that my deck was comprised of. Joey especially seemed to be enjoying himself. "Whoa! Y'know, these cards are really cool when they're not being used to threaten my friends."

I laughed rather awkwardly, blushing. After I defeated Joey, Yugi suggested a team duel. We split into two teams of three, and since Yugi already knew how to beat my cards, I asked to be on his team. It ended up being me, Yugi, and Tristan against Tea, Duke, and Joey.

After a while, Yugi's grandfather entered, intrigued by our duel. I laid down my hand and stood, bowing my head in contrition. "Mr. Muto, on behalf of my father, Maximillion Pegasus, I'd like to offer you the most sincere apology I can give. What he did to you was inexcusable, and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive him."

His eyes widened, then softened. "So, you're Pegasus's daughter, hmm? Well, since I seem to be back safe and sound, I don't think there's any need for hard feelings."

I was stunned. "Really?"

He nodded. "The past is over, and it can't be changed, so there's no point in being angry or resentful."

I felt weak with relief. "Thank you, Mr. Muto. That means more to me than you know."

He laughed, sitting down to watch as we resumed the duel. I had to admit, this was much better than when I'd dueled before. Previously, it had always been for the purpose of learning strategies, never for fun. I had always been coached to view my opponents as enemies, to treat the duel as a war. But this, this was different. It was a duel simply for the sport of it, with no hard feelings no matter who won or lost. I laughed more in that hour than I did during all of my other duels combined.

We played two more rounds, holding our cards in one hand and slices of pizza in the other. Joey, Tristan, and Duke had complained until Mr. Muto had ordered it. I tried to help pay for it, but he talked me down, insisting that I was a guest, that it wasn't necessary. We played Duel Monsters for hours, and when we grew tired of that, we simply talked and joked with one another. By about eleven or so, I sat back and stretched. "It's getting really late. I should probably get back to the hotel before Rupert and Anton start to worry."

Joey looked at me, his eyes screwing up with shrewd curiosity. "Who's that?"

"They're…well, they're kind of like my bodyguards. I ditched them today to hang out with you guys." I smiled. "Thanks so much for giving me a fantastic day. I had a ton of fun."

Duke grinned back and scratched the back of his head. "No problem at all, Naomi."

I stood and went for the door, tucking my deck in my pocket, when suddenly, I heard Yugi speak up. "Wait!" He came up to me as I turned. "You really shouldn't be out alone after dark. I'll walk you home, if that's okay."

I smiled. "Sure." I waved goodbye to everyone else and walked out of the store with Yugi by my side. I was a little bit surprised that he volunteered to walk me home, as shy as he was, but I wasn't complaining. Ever since that incident at the mall, I'd been dying to learn more about him. I hadn't had the nerve to bring it up when we were around the others. Now I had the chance.

The night was cool, and when the wind picked up, I shivered a little. We got about a block away from the shop when Yugi noticed that I was shaking. "Naomi, are you cold?"

I waved a hand dismissively. "A little. I'm fine."

He smiled and shrugged out of his jacket. "Here, take this." He was wearing only a sleeveless black shirt underneath, and I could see goosebumps rise on his arms as soon as they made contact with the open air.

"Yugi, really, I'll be fine."

"I'm not putting it back on, so you might as well wear it." He looked so mischievously determined that I sighed and accepted it. It was warm, and I had to admit, it was nice to have it on. I thanked Yugi for his thoughtfulness, and we walked on. We were silent for a moment, and then I plucked up the courage to speak.

"Um, Yugi? Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Naomi. What's up?"

I hesitated, not quite sure how to phrase what I wanted to say. "Today at the mall, when Kaiba ran into me…did you notice something weird happening with your Puzzle?"

His eyebrows furrowed. "Well, now that you mention it, yeah. It got really warm all of a sudden. But how could you have known?"

I held up my hand, showing him my ring. "My ring grew warm at the same time."

He stopped, an astonished expression on his face. "Your ring? Really?" I nodded. Suddenly, something happened, and he became the taller, more commanding Yugi that I'd seen in the mall. He held out his hand. "May I see it?"

I nodded. Just as I was about to pull it from my finger, a harsh voice spoke from the shadows. "Hold on."

I gasped and turned to see a boy about our age stepping out into a puddle of yellow light. One hand flew to my mouth. He had white hair that framed his face in spikes, and a tall, slender build. Around his neck hung a strange object; a circle of gold, and within the ring, a triangle with an eye. I recognized the symbol. It must be the Millennium Ring! This was the boy who had stolen my father's Eye!

I clenched my hands into fists, but still I felt a jolt of fear strike my heart. He looked much more formidable than I'd imagined. Suddenly, I wished Rupert was here. I soon noticed, however, that he wasn't looking at me, but at Yugi, who had taken a protective stance in front of me.

"You still have something I want, Yugi."

The boy advanced confidently, his smile sinister. Yugi turned back to me. "Naomi, get out of here. Go back to the shop."

I shook my head. "There's no way I'm leaving."

Yugi raised his voice; he sounded almost panicked now. "Naomi, this man is dangerous!"

"I know that! He's the one who took my father's Eye!"

That got the boy's attention. He lifted his eyes to me, his smile widening. "So, you're Pegasus's daughter? I must say, I never figured him as the fatherly type."

I drew myself up, trying not to betray my fear. "You stole something from him. I demand that you give it back to me."

He laughed softly. "I'm sorry to disappoint you, my dear, but the Millennium Eye belongs to me now."

Yugi looked back at me. "Naomi, please! Get out of here!"

"Absolutely not!"

The boy waved his hand. "I hate to interrupt, but I still mean to claim your Millennium Puzzle, Yugi. It would be a shame if anything were to happen to your pretty friend."

"Bakura, leave her alone! It's me you want!"

"As you wish." He grinned maliciously, and his Ring suddenly began to glow. The same glow enveloped Yugi, and he was suddenly slammed against a wall. I heard his head colliding with the brick with a sickening sound, and when he slumped to the ground, his body went limp.

I knelt by him and took his hand. "Yugi! No!"

Bakura approached us, and I crouched over Yugi, trying to protect him. "Stay back!"

"I'm afraid I can't. You see, I'm a sort of collector, and Yugi has something I desire."  
>"His Millennium Puzzle?"<p>

He chuckled. "You're more intelligent than you look, my dear." He bent toward me, meaning to pull me out of the way, when his Ring began to glow again. The little arrows that hung from the circlet rose and began to point to me; more specifically, at my hand.

Just then, my ring began to glow as well. As before, it grew warm, but this time, the heat was almost scorching. Instead of recognition, this felt more like a warning. Bakura saw the light coming from my ring and seized my wrist, bringing my hand close to his face to examine it. "It can't be. The Eighth Item."

"What?"

"It's you." With a grip that was not forceful but still unbreakable, he pulled me to my feet. I wrenched myself away from him, but suddenly, I found that I couldn't break away from his stare. We simply faced off, me slowly retreating while he moved forward, matching me step for step.

"Who are you?"

He smiled. "I am a thief and a stealer of souls. In ancient Egypt, I was known throughout the land as The Thief King. Since then, my spirit has lived on within the Millennium Ring, much as Yugi's has lived within the Puzzle."

My eyebrows furrowed. "What are you talking about?"

His eyes widened in surprise, then he smiled wickedly. "You don't remember a thing, do you?"

Just then, my back hit a wall. Bakura closed the distance between us, his wicked grin increasing in volume. I was trapped, cornered, and my heart began to race. I looked down at Yugi, praying that he would wake up.

Bakura seized my right wrist and pinned it against the wall next to my head. "There are seven Millennium Items. As of now, you know of four. Your father's Eye, Yugi's Puzzle, my Ring, and," his grip tightened on my wrist, and I feared his strength was great enough to break a bone, "your Millennium Band. That ring on your finger is the eighth Millennium Item."

I was stunned. Even if I was able to move, I couldn't. This trinket was not a Millennium Item, it couldn't be! My father would have known if it was, he would have told me! Besides, it was unmarked, without the symbolic Egyptian eye that I'd seen on all the other Items. It was simply a piece of jewelry: old, yes, but not with mystical powers!

To my increasing horror, Bakura leaned closed and pressed a kiss into the palm of my right hand. His lips were surprisingly soft and warm. "It's a pity you don't remember anything about your past, my dear. _I_ remember quite a bit." He turned his eyes on me, and they were dark, fierce, like venomous amber. He pressed against me, and I felt his breath on my neck. "I remember how soft your skin was; its fragile scent, the little tastes I used to steal."

He had hypnotized me; I was pinned to the wall by something other than physical force. If he released me now, I would remain trapped until he saw fit to lift the spell he'd cast. Goosebumps rippled up and down my skin as he spoke again. "I remember the sounds you used to make when I would touch you." He brought one hand to my cheek, stroking it gently. "If you like, my dear, I could try and refresh your memory."

He didn't give me much of a choice. With a flash of cold eyeshine, he brought his lips crashing onto mine. I thought, with a voice and personality as harsh as his, his kiss would be rough and invasive. To my shock and terror, however, it was surprisingly gentle, even tender. Although he certainly had the demeanor of someone very threatening, he was kissing me with the soft lips of a young boy; definitely not was I was expecting.

Suddenly, the tip of his tongue was pressed against my lips, trying softly but insistently to pry them open. That seemed to break the paralysis, and I wrenched my mouth away from him with a cry of disgust.

The sound seemed to bring Yugi around, and Bakura released me. He gave me an evil little lopsided grin, and said, "I'm afraid we'll have to carry on this conversation at another time." He sank into a mocking half-bow. "Until then, I remain your faithful servant, my dear. Ta." With that, he vanished into the shadows and was gone just as silently. I collapsed to the ground, hiding my face in my hands.

"Naomi? Naomi! Are you alright?"

I felt Yugi's hand on my shoulder, shaking me gently. I lifted my head and nodded, but I couldn't quite disguise a slight tremble in my lower lip. Nothing escaped that sharpened gaze, and his violet eyes narrowed. "Did he hurt you?"

I shook my head, still unable to speak. Then, shocking me out of my unresponsive state, Yugi took my face in his hands. "Naomi, look at me, please!"

His hands were soft, holding me gently but firmly, and in that touch, I felt something akin to an electric shock travel through my body, racing along my nerves and making them live wires that hummed with vigor. My heart fluttered, beating furiously not with fear, but with excitement. It was as if it recognized an old friend.

I didn't know how a single touch could affect me so; not even Bakura's threatening advances had inspired such a forceful reaction. My hand seemed to have a will of its own as it covered one of his, pressing his palm to my cheek. I knew this touch; somehow, I'd felt it before. It was strange and compelling, how familiar it seemed, like an old memory long forgotten.

I found myself looking into his eyes, deep and crystalline like amethyst stones, and saw that he recognized the contact as well. For moments that became eternities, we stared at each other, silent save for our synchronized breathing and the beating of our hearts, and tried to place where we might have met before, when we might have shared this touch.

Eventually, something disrupted our paralysis, and without a word, we broke contact. He helped me to my feet, looking me over carefully. "Are you sure you're not hurt?"

"Yes. I'm fine."

"Okay. We should probably keep going. I don't think he'll bother us again tonight, but you should be getting back anyway."

I nodded and we began to walk again. I noticed that this time, Yugi preferred to stay in the shadows, close by my side. A strange feeling warmed my insides at his protectiveness, although why I should be feeling that way, I didn't know.

I chewed on my lower lip, thinking about what had happened to us tonight. Looking back, it seemed almost unbelievable; the kind of thing you only read in novels. However, my still-pounding heart assured me that it was real. My next question, the one I knew would be the hardest to answer, was why? My only connection to this boy was his theft of my father's Eye. I'd certainly never met him before; I was positive I would've remembered if I had. One doesn't forget an appearance like his, or a voice so cold and ruthless. Yugi, it seemed, had known him, and after a block or two of silence, I found the courage to speak.

"Um…Yugi?"

"Yes?" His voice was deep and ponderous, as if he were as lost in thought as I had been.

"Who was that boy? I heard you call him Bakura. How do you know him?"

He made a small noise of disapproval. "That wasn't the real Bakura. I call him that because I don't know his name, and his spirit happens to live within Bakura's body." He turned his eyes upon me, and I swore I saw a flash of scarlet deep within the violet. "Did he speak to you?"

I nodded. "Yes. He told me he was a thief, that in ancient Egypt, he was called the Thief King." My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "But that doesn't make sense! How could he have lived in ancient Egypt if he's still living today?"

Yugi was silent for a moment. "Naomi, you know that the Millennium Items have special powers." I nodded. "The Millennium Ring's power comes from the spirit within it, the spirit of an ancient thief. Since he has no body of his own, he resides within Bakura's. Bakura didn't live in ancient Egypt, but the Spirit did."

I bit my lip; I supposed it was as possible as anything else. After all, what I'd experienced tonight had gone so far beyond the realm of normal that I was willing to believe almost anything.

"He…The Spirit…he seemed to know me. He told me he remembered me." I shuddered as I recalled the intimate feel of his hand on my face, the feeling of his lips pressed to my palm, the terrifying closeness of the kiss he'd forced on me. Yugi cocked an eyebrow.

"That's strange. Maybe you resemble someone he knew in his former life."

A few moments of silence passed, then the questions burst from me again. "Why did he want your Millennium Puzzle? He has the Ring and the Eye, isn't that more than enough for one person?"

"He seeks power. He told me that if the seven Millennium Items are possessed by one person, that person will be stronger than any other."

Seven items. My ring. What had he called it? The Millennium Band. Almost without thinking about it, I twirled it around my finger. Could what Bakura said be true? Could my ring really be a forgotten Millennium Item? It still seemed impossible to me that it could have escaped my father's notice. I had a feeling that, like Bakura's ring, my father's Eye could sense when other Items were near. Surely he would have known, would have felt it, if he'd given me a Millennium Item.

I wanted to ask Yugi more questions, but I didn't think there was much else he could tell me. I had a feeling there was more to him than he was letting on, but I didn't want to force it from him. Besides, it was late and we were only a block away from the hotel.

Yugi insisted on accompanying me up to the room, even though I was sure I'd be safe. He was silent for most of the way, and when we reached my room, he gave me a small smile.

"Goodnight, Naomi."

He turned to leave, but I touched his arm. "Yugi?" When he turned back to face me, his eyes struck me like a physical force. They were full of loneliness, isolation, as if he'd never truly been close to another human being in his entire life. They inspired such heart-wrenching sadness in me that I felt tears flooding my eyes. I blinked them back resolutely; it made no sense to cry now.

"Yes?"

I cleared my throat. "Thank you. For walking me home. It meant a lot, considering…" I shuddered at the thought that I might have been alone when Bakura found me. Heaven only knows what would've happened then.

He smiled gently. "You're welcome." He hesitated for a moment, looking as if he wanted to say something else, but he turned abruptly and was gone in an instant. I bit my lip, my thoughts spinning crazily in my head, then let myself into the room.

It was past midnight now, so both Rupert and Anton were asleep. There were two bedrooms and a living room in our suite, and I sat alone in my separate room, looking at my ring. I'd pulled it from my hand and laid it on the bedspread, hoping that it would show me any proof of it's supposed "magical" abilities. If it truly was a Millennium Item, I should be able to unlock its power. The problem was, I wasn't quite sure how.

There was energy, ancient forces at work in it. Or at least there should be, if what Bakura said was true. But how on earth was I supposed to find out? I wasn't ready to face my father yet, not after what Yugi and his friends had told me he'd done, so I couldn't ask him. I didn't know anyone else that could tell me for certain if this ring had power or not.

I reclined against the headboard, closed my eyes, and sighed. After several moments of silent stillness, my eyes flew open. Of course! The only person I knew who would be able to find out if my ring had power within it. He owed me a favor anyway. The question was, was I brave enough to cash it in?

I decided my curiosity was greater than my pride, so I picked up my phone, scrolling through the names until I found the right one. I never thought I would ever have to call him again. It was incredibly difficult for me to press the send button, and when I put the phone to my ear, I found myself hoping he wouldn't be awake. I knew him too well to believe that he'd be sleeping; I'd never known him to fall into bed before one in the morning. I hoped that he wouldn't pick up, but suddenly the buzzing of the dial ceased and I heard a curt, "_Yes?_"

I blew out a breath. "Kaiba. It's me."

* * *

><p><em>Ooooh, a cliffhanger! Please review, my friends, and thanks for reading!<em>


	6. Chapter 6

I woke the next morning to my phone ringing jauntily, irritatingly in my ear. I groaned and answered with a thick, sullen, "Hello?"

"Hi, Naomi!"

It was Tea. I'd given her my cell phone number yesterday, and I supposed now she was taking advantage of it.

"Tea…?" I rubbed my eyes. "What time is it?"

"About half-past nine."

I shot upright. "Really?" The digital clock on the bedside table read 9:33. "I'm sorry, I didn't even realize it was so late." Usually, I didn't let myself sleep past eight. I pushed my snowy, disheveled hair back from my face. "What's up?"

"Are you up for a day trip?"

"Um…sure. Where are we going?"

"To the beach."

"Oh. Yeah, okay. What time?"

"We'll be there around ten."

That left very little time to get ready. "Alright. See you then."

"Bye!" I liked Tea, but I had to admit, her voice was a little shrill and chirpy. I scrambled out of bed, showered in record time, and dug through my clothes to find a bathing suit. I blushed at the thought of four boys I barely knew seeing me in such revealing clothes, but since Tea would be there and she was an expert at keeping those boys in line, I wasn't too worried about anything happening.

At five past ten, Tea called me again to let me know that they were downstairs waiting for me. I pulled on some shorts over the bathing suit, grabbed a towel and some beach essentials, slipped on my sandals and bolted out of the door. I'd left a note for Rupert and Anton, explaining where I'd gone, and I hoped they wouldn't be bothering me all day, wanting to know if I was alright. I doubted Bakura would come after us again in broad daylight. He seemed very much to be the type to lurk in the shadows.

Duke's car was idling just outside the hotel doors, and right away, I noticed a problem. There weren't enough seats for six passengers. I waved at their greetings and jogged over to the car.

"Um, guys? Where am I supposed to sit?"

Duke's cheeks crimsoned. "Oh yeah…um…"

Tristan piped up. "She can squeeze in the back with us. We can make room."

Yugi, Joey, and Tristan were sitting in the back. Oh, great. I sighed, figured this was the best deal I was going to get, and climbed over Joey's lap to squeeze between him and Yugi. I noticed that Yugi's cheeks, like Duke's, had turned a fine shade of scarlet, I could assume due to our close proximity. I felt a little bit pleased that I could warrant this reaction from him, although I may have just been flattering myself. After all, Yugi was very shy, and I was wearing a minimal amount of clothing.

As we drove, I found myself pondering the boy more and more. There was something about him that drew me to him. It obviously had something to do with the Millennium Puzzle he always wore, since my ring had reacted to it. I twirled the small piece of jewelry around my finger. Something occurred to me; this gold band had warmed in the presence of two Millennium Items; the Puzzle and the Ring. Yet, I had seen three Items; strangely, it had never given any signs of a reaction when my father's Eye was near. I chewed on my lip, thinking it over. Why would my ring, if it were a lost Millennium Item, recognize the presence of one Item and not another?

Another thought that sprang to mind was the fact that my ring only reacted to the puzzle when Yugi underwent that strange "transformation." I still couldn't explain it, even to myself; in those moment when my ring did react, signaling the subtle changes, I could swear that there were two Yugis. Two halves to the same person; one shy and gentle, the other commanding and confident. Did that have something to do with the Puzzle? Was that its magical quality, the ability to switch personalities? I was suddenly and horribly reminded of the book _Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde_, a famous story about a man with two personalities. I shuddered and hoped like crazy that Yugi was not the modern day equivalent of the mad doctor and his murderous counterpart.

I felt somebody gently shake my arm. It was Yugi, and he looked a little concerned. "Naomi? Are you okay? You've been really quiet."

I realized we'd been driving for fifteen minutes and I hadn't said a word. "Oh. Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking, I guess."

"You looked pretty serious. What were you thinking about?"

I didn't really want to discuss what happened last night, and I didn't see how I could tell him what I was thinking without bringing it up. I put on an innocent expression. "Did I look serious? I'm sorry, I guess that's just my thinking face. Really, it wasn't anything important." I could be a good little actress when I wanted to be, although I felt bad about deceiving him. I kept up with the conversation from then on, not wanting to seem preoccupied or solemn. I decided to put last night's events out of my mind for now. After all, we were here to have fun.

After another ten minutes, we arrived at the beach. We were laying our towels out on the warm sand when I heard a loud voice shouting. "Hey, you guys!"

I looked up and saw a woman running toward us, her wavy blonde hair streaming behind her, waving and smiling. Joey ran to her, laughing, and they hugged. I was a little hesitant, but everyone else seemed to know her. Finally, she looked over at me. Her eyes lingered on my white hair, then she smiled. "Hey, hon. I don't believe we've met."

Yugi blushed. "Oh, yeah! Naomi, this is Mai Valentine." _Cute name,_ I thought. "Mai, this is Naomi Pegasus."

Her eyes widened. "Pegasus? Are you his daughter?"

I nodded, praying that she didn't have a grudge against him, too. I'd endured enough awkward surprises concerning my father's deeds. To my relief, she smiled. "I gotta say, sweetie, you make that weird hair of his look stunning!" She stuck out her hand, and I took it, smiling warily.

"Thank you." Something clicked. "Wait a minute. Mai Valentine?" I knew that name. One doesn't forget a name like that. "I know you! My father mentioned you in one of his letters. You were a competitor at Duelist Kingdom, right?"

"I was one of the four finalists."

"That's right! You lost to…Yugi, in the semi-finals, right?"

Joey piped up. "Don't forget who else beat ya, Mai!"

She grabbed Joey and put him in a playful headlock. "That was just dumb luck, Wheeler, and you know it! The next time we duel, your sorry butt is going down!"

Tristan, Duke, and Tea laughed as Joey tried to wriggle out of her grasp. She began dragging him toward the shoreline, waded just past where the waves broke against the sand, then threw him into the water. He sat spluttering and red-faced, then picked himself up, laughing.

I looked up at the sun, then down at my pale skin. "Um, someone did remember to pack some sunscreen, right?"

Tea pulled a bottle out of her bag, and handed it to me. I then realized a problem.

"Uh…can someone help me?"

It was almost comical, the way Joey's, Tristan's, Duke's, and Yugi's heads all popped up at the same time. I stood with my back to them, my long hair swept over my shoulder, and shook the bottle of sunblock. Of course, Yugi blushed and wouldn't come near me, but the other three seemed to scramble for me. Duke got to me first, and took the sunscreen from me. He had a very mischievous gleam in his eyes. "Y'know, if you lay down, I can reach your back better."

I smiled at his playful flirting, but did as he suggested, stretching out on my stomach on top of my towel. Duke's hands tended to linger on my back, slowly applying the sunblock. I had to admit, it felt very nice, very soothing, to lie in the warm sun with gentle hands rubbing across my back. So good, in fact, that when he stopped, I didn't move, I simply sighed in contentment and thanked him softly.

"Hey, Naomi! Aren't you going to get into the water?"

I looked up at the sound of Tea's voice and smiled, shaking my head. "Not yet. I think I'm going to enjoy the sun for a bit. You guys go ahead, though."

Mai came over and shook out her towel beside me. "I'm with you, hon." She lifted her sunglasses and winked down at me. "Oh, Joey! Will you help me?" She brandished her own bottle of sunscreen, and Joey came clambering out of the water, eager to apply it to her back. I smiled and pulled a book from my bag. It was a romance novel, the type that was usually read only by middle-aged women whose husbands spent more time at work than at home. My father, who was a hopeless romantic, had actually introduced them to me. He read them for the love stories. I read them for the absurdity they entailed. Honestly, some of these stories were so far-fetched that they it seemed almost intentional, as if the writers of these novels were satirizing themselves. That alone made them incredibly enjoyable. Eventually Mai, realizing that I wasn't as good a chatting partner as she'd hoped, ventured into the water with the rest of the gang. I felt kind of bad for isolating myself when they had gone out of their way to invite me, but I simply felt too content to move.

I was three chapters into the tale of a viscount suspected by his fiancée's sister of being a vampire, when something cold and wet struck me. I gasped, turning onto my back to see Joey standing at the shoreline, grinning devilishly. Apparently, he had hoped to entice me into the water by splashing me. When he caught sight of my now-sodden book, his grin vanished. I had told them yesterday when we were chatting at the game shop that I had a great love of books, whether their pages contained thought-provoking material or gooey fluff. My eyes narrowed. Joey held up his hands in a placating gesture.

"I'm sorry, Naomi, I didn't even see that you had a book. I thought you were just lying down."

I said nothing, but got to my feet slowly. I saw fear mounting in his face, then I suddenly propelled myself down the beach, throwing myself at him and tackling him into the water. For a minute, he tried frantically to push me off, perhaps fearing that I would drown him for defacing my book, but then he saw that I was smiling. Tristan, Yugi, and Duke were laughing hysterically, Mai was giggling behind her hand, and Tea was trying to stifle her laughter behind a scolding look.

"Joey, you jerk!"

He spluttered, "I'm the jerk? She just tried to drown me, Tea!" I laughed, and I noticed that we were sitting in the shallows, and somehow, I had ended up in Joey's lap. He realized this at about the same time I did, and his cheeks turned pink. I smiled and decided to take advantage of this and do a little innocent flirting. I put my arms around his neck and shook my wet hair back from my face.

"Well, you got me into the water. Now what?" He didn't say anything, but it looked as if he were trying his hardest to speak. I felt a strange sense of triumph, but I climbed off his lap and helped him to his feet.

Mai waved. "Hey, Joey! I'll race you to that pier over there." She smiled and winked. "I've been dying for a chance to kick your butt!"

Joey laughed and dove into the water, hurrying to get there before Mai did. It was like watching a puppy race a dolphin. Mai was a much better swimmer than Joey, who seemed, ironically enough, to only know how to doggy-paddle. I swam around for a little bit, getting myself used to the temperature of the water. It was a little cold at first, but as my skin adjusted, it became pleasantly cool. I dunked under the water to smooth my hair back from my face and swam out to deeper water, treading for a little bit.

Yugi and Tea joined me out there, as Duke and Tristan were having a wrestling match in the water and Joey was still trying to swim faster than Mai. We talked for a few minutes, joking with each other, then suddenly, I felt something grab my ankle. I screamed and thrashed, breaking the hold, and swam for shallower water. My heart was racing, because whoever had grabbed me was not part of our group. I could only think of Bakura, and that he must have come back for me and for Yugi's Puzzle. Suddenly, a head bobbed above the water, and my heart plummeted.

It was him!

It was Bakura!

He looked at me, and to my utter shock, he blushed furiously.

"Oh! I'm terribly sorry! I thought you were Tea!"

I was thrown off guard; it looked like Bakura, but his voice was soft, gentle, not harsh at all. There was still the British accent, but it was warmer, not as threatening. As I looked closer, I realized that there were subtle differences between this boy and the Bakura who had harassed us last night. His eyes weren't as sharp, as piercing, and his hair seemed less unruly, although it was the same startling shade of dove-white. He was smaller in stature, his presence nowhere near as forceful as it had been.

Tea giggled. "I think you scared her, Bakura."

So it _was_ Bakura! I clenched my right hand into a fist and hid it behind my back. "Stay away from me."

Yugi's brows furrowed in concern and confusion. "Naomi? What's wrong?"

"You don't remember? He attacked me last night!"

Suddenly, Yugi became the more commanding presence, and far from reassuring me, it only distressed me further. "Naomi, calm down. This is the real Bakura, not the thief you saw last night."

I supposed it made sense, now that I looked at him closer and saw that no Ring hung around his neck. In fact, he looked downright confused. "Last night? What happened last night? Did I…?"

Yugi put a hand on his shoulder. "It's all right. It's over now." He swam over to me, and when he saw that I was shaking, he surprised me by pulling me into an embrace. "It's okay, Naomi. Calm down. Bakura won't hurt you."

His murmurs were soft, soothing, and I couldn't help but rest my forehead against his chest. It seemed that as long as his arms were around me, as long as he spoke so gently to me, that nothing would ever harm me again. It was a strange feeling to have taken over me so completely. It was not unlike the emotion that had coursed through me the previous night when Yugi had held my face in his hands. Like the recognition of an old friend, of a first love. I wished I could stay in this moment for years, treading water, feeling Yugi's legs brushing against mine, his hands on my back, his chin resting softly on the top of my head, my ear pressed to his chest, his beating heart the only sound in the world.

Wait a minute. No. This wasn't right. I was behaving like one of those silly women in those romance novels my father was a fanatic for. I wasn't meant to be the girl that sighed dreamily at true love's kiss. I was a thinker, a planner. Love didn't figure into my ideas for life. As the only heir to Industrial Illusions, it wasn't my job to be searching for my soulmate.

I pushed against Yugi's chest, gently but with enough force that he understood and released me. "Thanks Yugi, but I'm fine now." Bakura was timidly making his way over to me. It still unnerved me to see him so close, but if I focused on his eyes, which were warm and gentle, I could convince myself that he wasn't going to attack either of us again. "I'm sorry for making such a big fuss, but you really did startle me."

He blushed deeply. "I'm truly sorry about that, Naomi, was it? From underwater, it's hard to tell one set of legs from another." At the mention of my legs, his cheeks grew even pinker.

I smiled. "It's alright. No harm done."

"Hey, Naomi!"

Mai was calling to me from the beach, waving to capture my attention. "Yeah, Mai?"

"Your phone is ringing!"

My blood froze. I knew who was calling me. I swam as fast as I could, scrambling onto the shore and sprinting for my bag. Just before it went to voicemail, I picked up. "Hello?"

"Naomi." I knew it. Kaiba's cool, no-nonsense voice seemed even more rigid over the phone. "I've cleared my schedule for the next two hours. Bring the item to KaibaCorp, and I'll see what I can do."

"I appreciate you doing this for me, Kaiba."

"_Kaiba?_"

Joey's voice was shrill, disbelieving, and I thought I detected some anger.

"Naomi, _please_ tell me that wasn't Wheeler's barking I just heard."

"I'm afraid so, Kaiba."

"Why on earth are you hanging out with the Geek Patrol?"

I could almost physically feel the derision in his tone. "They're my friends, Kaiba."

"Let me guess. Yugi and Gardener have hit you with their patented friendship and teamwork speech." I didn't answer, knowing that no matter what I said, he wouldn't approve of me hanging around them. "You know where to find me. But please, if you have to bring Wheeler, make sure he's on a leash first." With that, there was a sharp click and Kaiba hung up on me.

Joey stood over me. "Why is Kaiba calling you?"

I stood and brushed sand from my legs. "He owes me a favor and I'm cashing it in."

Joey's eyes narrowed. "Why does he owe you a favor?"

By now, the entire gang was up on the shore watching me. I blushed to the roots of my hair; this was a part of my past I'd hoped never to speak of again.

"Well, it's kind of a long story, and I need to get to KaibaCorp rather quickly-"

Duke piped up. "I'll drive you, Naomi, and you can tell us on the way."

"Alright." We said goodbye to Mai and Bakura, whom I was still rather reluctant to approach, and made our way back to Duke's car. I squeezed in between Yugi and Joey again, and Joey poked me in the arm.

"Alright, Naomi, spill it. What's the deal with you and Kaiba?"

I sighed, knowing that this was not going to be received well. "Um, well…" I twisted my ring around my finger.

"Kaiba used to be my fiancé."

* * *

><p><em>Another Kaiba-related cliffhanger! I love it! Please keep the reviews coming, they help so much! Cheers!<em>


	7. Chapter 7

I'd never seen blood drain from a person's face, but both Joey and Tea became salt-pale at my admission. It was silent for a moment, then Joey positively screamed, "_WHAT?_"

Yugi, Duke, and Tristan were all stunned into silence. Tea was the only one who seemed to be maintaining a level of calm. "But you said you knew Kaiba from his partnership with your father's company!"

"That's how it started out. But we started seeing a lot of each other, and…"

Joey looked furious. "So you_ dated_ that snobby, stuck-up jerk?"

"He wasn't always like that, you know! He could be kind when he wanted to be." As I continued telling the story, I thought back to the way it used to be, when the world's most sought-after bachelor was mine.

"Like I said, we met through KaibaCorp's partnership with Industrial Illusions. It was obvious, now that I think about it, but my father was trying to set us up together. We'd get together for a dinner meeting and he'd be suddenly 'called away on business,' leaving me and Kaiba together on an apparent date. Or he'd invite Kaiba over to look at some new proposals and then 'forget' that he had meetings with investors all day and would ask me to take care of it for him.

"After a while, Kaiba and I just got used to each other, and one day, when he asked me out, it just felt like the next logical step. We began to see each other outside of doing business, and I'll admit, it wasn't easy getting along with him.

"But every once in a while, that wall he built around himself would crack, and I'd see the lonely, vulnerable person he really was. Then, it would make all the aggravation seem worthwhile.

"We dated for about a year, keeping our relationship a complete secret. This, I might add, is extraordinarily difficult to accomplish when your father and your boyfriend are the world's two most powerful businessmen. One evening, we were having a quiet night in at Kaiba's mansion," at this, Joey uttered a derisive snort, "and he…popped the question."

I remembered it vividly; the way he presented the incredibly expensive engagement ring with a flourish; the fact that he didn't get down on one knee, as was traditional. Even when proposing, Seto Kaiba refused to kneel to anyone.

"I accepted his proposal, but only because I couldn't think of any reasons not to at the time. Of course, my father was thrilled when he found out. We were engaged for two weeks, and on the night before we planned to announce the engagement to the public, I asked Kaiba if he really truly wanted to marry me." At this, my cheeks turned red and my eyes began to burn. I clenched my hands into fists and continued, determined not to become emotional over this.

"He told me that the reason he had even asked me out in the first place was that my father hinted that there might be benefits in the arrangement for him if we became close. He even let slip that whoever married me would also inherit Industrial Illusions. Kaiba saw this as a smart business deal, as an acquisition, so he agreed to try and win me over." I chewed on my tongue, hoping the pain would distract me from the tears that threatened to build up and spill over.

"Kaiba admitted that he wasn't in love with me, and when he told me that, I admitted to us both that, while I cared for him deeply, I wasn't in love with him either." I sighed. There. It was all out in the open now. It was silent in the car, except for the hum of rubber tires against asphalt. When Yugi spoke, his voice was soft and shy.

"So, why does he owe you a favor?"

I gave a half-hearted little smile. "I let him out of the engagement with no conditions or concessions on his part. The two of us had a very long talk that night, and we decided that although business-wise, the marriage was a good thing, it wouldn't last and would just lead to ugly feelings and financial losses. Besides, we were both too young, only sixteen."

Duke piped up. "I'll say! Isn't it illegal to get married before you're eighteen?"

"If you have your parent or guardian's permission, you can get married whenever you want. Of course my father would've given us his blessing; it was his idea to begin with. And Kaiba has no legal guardian; he can do pretty much whatever he wants." I sighed. "But still, sixteen is way too young to get married." I realized I was sitting hunched over, looking down at my feet and avoiding any sort of eye contact with anyone. I sat up straight and looked everybody in the eye. "So that's why Kaiba owes me a favor. Any more questions?"

Tristan said, "Yeah, what's this favor you're cashing in? It seems pretty important."

I brushed my damp hair back from my face. "There's an object I need to do some tests on, and he's the only one with the technology and equipment that can do it."

"What about your father? Can't he help?"

I tried to keep my voice steady. "I'd rather not ask him right now. I still haven't quite forgiven him for what he did at Duelist Kingdom. When I have, I can face him again, but not now."

The rest of the ride was silent. I could only hope that it was because they were simply processing all the new information, and that they weren't upset with me. It was very obvious that Yugi's group of friends didn't get along so well with Kaiba, especially Joey. Although, if I remembered correctly, it sounded as though Kaiba owed Yugi his very soul, as well as the soul of his younger brother.

I smiled; this was the only upside to going to KaibaCorp. I'd get to see Mokuba again. He was a sweet little kid, although he was steadily inheriting his brother's egotistical mannerisms and fierce stubbornness. I hadn't seen him in about a year, although he sent me an email occasionally, and truth be told, I kind of missed him.

We pulled up to the intimidating office building that towered over the entire city. _Typical Kaiba_, I thought dryly as we all climbed out of the car. The guards, who must've known we were coming, let us by without a word. Kaiba's right-hand man, Roland, was waiting by the elevator. "Mr. Kaiba's waiting for you in his office, Miss Naomi. Go on up."

"Thank you, Roland." I turned to the others. "I appreciate you guys coming with me, but I think I should do this alone."

Tea looked a little hurt. "Naomi, I really don't think that's a good idea."

"Trust me. The less people in there, the better."

Yugi stepped up, and I was surprised to hear that deep voice that was becoming so familiar. "I'm going with you. You shouldn't go anywhere alone."

I was about to answer, but decided that he was probably right. I didn't like being looked after, but in this case, it seemed wise. I nodded that it was alright for him to accompany me.

Just before we got into the elevator, Joey grabbed my arm. "Hey, did you and Kaiba…you didn't kiss him, didja?" He looked nauseated at the very thought.

I blushed. "Well, we were dating for a year, Joey. Of course we kissed."

Joey's head looked like it was about to explode.

We climbed onto the elevator, and I noticed that Yugi, incredibly, looked a little miffed, although why he should be concerned about my relationship with Kaiba confused me. It wasn't like we were still together. Kaiba and I were on friendly terms (well, as friendly as one could ever get where Seto Kaiba was concerned), but I didn't harbor any romantic feelings for him. I sighed; the media was always spewing drivel about what complicated creatures women are, but when it came to men, they could be just as enigmatic.

We finally got the top of the tower, and the elevator doors opened directly into Kaiba's office, which was as spacious and severe as I'd expect. He sat at his desk, back ramrod straight, with his elbows resting on the edge of the wood and his fingers laced together, looking down his nose at us in a very condescending manner. I almost laughed at the way he was still trying to intimidate me, even though he knew I was way past that. I strode up to him confidently and crossed my arms over my chest.

"You know, it's considered good manners to stand when a lady enters the room." I cocked an eyebrow, waiting.

He gave me one quick, burning look, then rose to his feet and extended one long hand for me to grasp.

"Naomi."

"Kaiba."

He looked over my shoulder and nodded curtly in acknowledgement Yugi's presence, then led us over to a small sitting space just off of the main office. The chairs and couches were designer, covered in rich, solid fabrics and plush padding. I sank into a wing-backed chair and primly crossed my legs at the ankle. Kaiba, sitting in a chair across from mine, looked me over pointedly. I realized that I was still in my bathing suit and shorts. My two-piece bathing suit that, at the moment, was affording everyone a clear look at my midriff and chest. I blushed but refused to look away. I wouldn't explain myself to him. I sat back a little and let him speak first.

"So. Where is it?"

I held out my hand. "Right here, where it's always been." He knew of my ring, knew of its origins. After all, at one time, we were rather close. His cold blue eyes widened a bit when he saw it, but then they became mocking, incredulous.

"You're telling me that your _ring_ has untapped energy within in? Naomi, if I'd known you were coming to me with a wild goose chase, I wouldn't have bothered to make time for you. I thought your father's company had discovered some new power source but didn't know how to test it."

I opened my mouth to speak, but Yugi cut me off. "Kaiba, you should know well enough that there are objects that hold extreme power. I highly doubt that Naomi would've come to you if she wasn't absolutely sure."

I squirmed when I realized that Yugi was referring to when my father had captured Kaiba's soul using the power of his Millennium Eye. This was why Kaiba was acting so coldly professional; he was angry at my father. I cleared my throat, leaned forward, and held the hand with the ring on it out to him.

"Will you just look at it? Maybe you can discover something about it that I can't."

He sighed and rolled his eyes, but reached for my hand. The instant after my skin made contact with his, the ring began to glow with a soft golden light. It grew gently warm on my finger, like it had the moment when Yugi had first transformed into the confident version of his shyer self. It was the same, yet it was different. Whereas that warmth had felt like the reclaiming of a lost love, this felt like the greeting of an old family member that once was very close. I knew Kaiba could feel something, too, because his eyes were wide and disbelieving.

I withdrew my hand. This made no sense! Before, my ring had only reacted like this when another Millennium Item had been near. I knew that Kaiba didn't possess such an item, he had no need for collecting ancient trinkets. I had come here seeking answers, but only found myself asking more questions. What in the world was going on?

Yugi spoke again. "Kaiba, I know you felt something. I can see it in your eyes. Can you really keep denying the fact that these items are filled with magic?"

Kaiba regained the little composure that had slipped. "Grow up, Yugi. Aren't you little old to believe in _magic_?" He spoke the word as if it were poisonous, not letting it linger on his tongue. "However, it's nice to know that you were right about something, Naomi. There is power in this ring. I'll do some tests on it and get back to you with the results."

"You won't have to…to hurt in any way, will you?"

"No. You'll get it back unaltered. Although," he added, a cold smile curling on his thin mouth, "if I can find a way to extract and utilize that power, I will."

I leaned forward. "Kaiba," I replied earnestly, "if you can get the energy out of the ring, you can keep it. I make no claim on it. You can take all the credit."

"You're too kind." He was silent for a moment, looking me over again, his eyes traveling slowly and methodically up, down, and back up again. "May I ask what the reason is behind your, ah, outfit?"

"We went the beach today, Kaiba. I'd think, with your supposedly superior intellect, you'd be able to figure that out on your own." His eyes narrowed, but I simply cocked an eyebrow.

Just then, the door to Kaiba's office burst open. To my relief and delight, Mokuba came through the door. When he saw me, his face broke into a huge smile. "Naomi!"

He ran to me, and I stood so he could wrap his arms enthusiastically around me. "It's good to see you, Mokuba!"

"You too!" I hugged him tightly, then held him at arm's length, looking him over.

"You've grown, little guy!" I grabbed handfuls of his hair. "And so has your hair! Good Lord, it looks like a big black bush!"

He laughed. "Thanks! So what brings you here?"

I tousled his hair. "Your brother's just helping me out by running some tests on a possible energy source." I let him go and stepped back. "I wish we could talk more, but I think we should be going." I reluctantly pulled the ring from my finger and dropped it in Kaiba's outstretched hand. "Thank you, Kaiba, and please let me know as soon as you find something."

He nodded, and stood to walk us to the door. I afforded myself another look at Mokuba, and was disheartened to see that he looked upset. I wished I could stay longer, I really did, but just these few minutes had been very taxing. It wasn't that being around Kaiba caused me to ache over the past we'd shared, it was just that the constant coldness and hostility he exhibited toward anyone he considered beneath him (which was everybody but his brother) was draining on my patience.

The elevator doors dinged open, and as I took a step to enter, I felt a long hand on my shoulder.

"Naomi."

I turned back and saw that a little of the ice in Kaiba's arctic eyes had melted. They were a little softer, and I was reminded of the times when, just for a moment, he let his guard slip a little. He allowed himself a small but genuine smile.

"It was good to see you again."

I was a little taken aback, but I managed to smile back. "You too, Seto."

When I addressed him by his first name, his eyes hardened again and he removed his hand from my shoulder. Yugi and I stepped into the elevator, and I sighed heavily. Oh well. I hadn't been able to change him when he was mine, and I supposed I never would. I hoped to whoever was listening that he would find someone who could tear his guard down someday. He deserved that, at least.

* * *

><p><em>Aww, no cliffhanger this time :( Oh well, hope you enjoyed. And I'm sorry about the "fluffiness" of the last chapter. It was inspired by a trip to the lake with friends (because I live in the Midwest US and that's the closest we have to a beach). Again, sorry. Reviews are greatly appreciated, I LOVE hearing from you guys! Cheers!<em>


	8. Chapter 8

The gang was downstairs waiting for us, which was a pleasant surprise; I had expected them to go home. Joey still looked a little peeved, but he smiled at me as we approached the couches they'd sat on while waiting in the lobby. I wondered why he and Kaiba seemed to have such a bitter rivalry; Joey didn't seem like the kind of person Kaiba would regularly associate with.

I was quiet when we piled into the car, taking my place between Yugi and Joey. I felt naked without my ring on my finger, and within the light of recent circumstances, rather defenseless. I couldn't forget that my ring had seemed to warn me of Bakura's malcontent. I had hoped that it would warn me in the future. But now, I felt as if my last personal security was gone.

Before, whenever I'd felt this frightened, I'd had my father to run to. Now, I didn't know if I'd ever be able to trust him with my emotions again. Not after how he'd manipulated the emotions of others to bend them to his own malevolent will. Like it or not, I seen my father become a villain, and it would take a while to for me to recover. I knew eventually, I could forgive him, but not while the betrayal was still fresh.

Without my father, I had no one I could turn to for protection. Once, I might have had Kaiba, but now I was alone. It made the world seem a little darker, a little less friendly.

I clenched my hands into fists.

No.

I was becoming weak and scared, like a child. I was Naomi Pegasus. I could take care of myself. I didn't need someone to shelter me and keep me safe. I could overcome whatever stood in my way completely on my own.

I almost didn't notice when we pulled up to the hotel. I smiled, thanked everyone for inviting me to the beach with them, and climbed over Joey to exit the car. I made for the revolving door, but just as I stepped onto the rubber mat that lay just before it, I heard a voice call out my name.

"Naomi, wait!"

It was Yugi. He had climbed out of the Duke's car and was now approaching me, looking neither shy nor embarrassed, although it was obvious that he was not his confident, deeper-voiced self.

"Yugi. What's up?"

"I just wanted to make sure you're okay. You didn't say a word on the ride over, and you kept rubbing your finger."

I had? I didn't even realize that I was doing it. "I'm fine."

Yugi cocked an eyebrow, reminding me a little of how I'd done when facing Kaiba. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm okay. Really."

He gave me one hard, meaningful look, then relaxed. "Okay. If you say you're fine, I believe you." He seemed to remember something, then pulled a slip of paper out the back pocked of his shorts. "Here. It's my house number, so you can call if you need…anything."

At this, he blushed furiously, becoming the sweet and shy boy I'd come to recognize. I smiled. "Thanks. Here, let me give you mine." I had a pen with me, but no paper. "Give me your hand."

I wrote my number on the back of his hand, and noticed that his blush only deepened at the touch. I wondered if he'd ever had a girlfriend, if he'd ever held another's hand.

I smiled when I finished writing. "There."

"Okay. Um, can I call you tomorrow? In case we're doing something?"

"Sure. I'm looking forward to it already."

He blushed again. I laughed inwardly at just how easy it was to make his cheeks turn that lovely scarlet hue. "Okay. I'll…see you later then."

"Bye."

I smiled and watched him go back to the car, then turned and went inside. The lobby of the hotel was cool and quiet, and I simply sat on the couches, watching the cars roll by outside.

I wasn't sure how long I sat there, but after a while, I noticed that the sky had darkened. I wanted to move, wanted to be going somewhere, wanted to be anywhere but on my butt doing nothing. I didn't even want to go upstairs and change or drop off my bag. I left in the lobby with a nod to the security guard; he would make sure no one took it while I was gone.

I set off down the darkening streets, ignoring the sense of foreboding that grew in my stomach. I'd forgotten about Bakura, about how terrified I was that he would find me. I simply wanted to walk.

I ambled along the sidewalks for while, until I happened to look up. I had no idea where I was. I groaned, inwardly chastising myself for my carelessness. I wasn't worried; I'd always been excellent with directions, and was confident I could find my way back. It was just an inconvenience, especially in the dark.

I backtracked until I came to a street that I knew would eventually run by the hotel and continued to walk. I ran a hand through my hair, wishing I'd brought a brush with me. It was a tangled, snowy mess.

Something circled my wrist, holding me in an unbreakable grasp.

Before I could get a look at my assailant, I was dragged into an alley. Even through the terror and confusion, I found myself thinking: _What a stereotype._ I was slammed against a brick wall, and the face of my attacker was thrown into a weak slice of moonlight. My heart seized, seemed to stop and vanish completely.

It was Bakura.

Not the shy, innocent, gentle Bakura that had raised my suspicions earlier today. This was the malevolent, harsh, truly terrifying Bakura. I could swear that his eyes were glowing in the dark with an evil radiance, turning the brown that was once warm into a burgundy that horrified all who found themselves lost within the bloody depths. He spoke, and his voice was soft, terrifying, the voice of a vampire from a distant nightmare.

"Hello, my dear."

"It's you."

"Yes. I told you that I wanted to finish our previous conversation." He smiled and laughed softly, darkly. His hand stroked my hair back from my temple. "Now that we don't have Yugi to interfere, it's time I helped to regain that poor, lost memory of yours."

"Don't touch me." I tried to shove him away, to wriggle from his grasp, but he had me completely trapped.

"Come now, my dear. Is that any way to greet your former lover?"

My heart stopped again, and if fate was merciful, the sudden cessation would've killed me. "No. I don't believe you. I've never…"

"You misunderstand me, pet. We were lovers in our past lives, you and I."

That didn't console me at all. "No. You're insane."

"I grow tired of your refusals. If my words don't convince you, perhaps _this_ will."

His lips crashed onto mine again, and as before, their softness and warmth horrified me. A man with a soul so corrupt should not have a mouth that was so innocent. I suddenly found myself thinking of Yugi, wondering if his lips were this soft.

_Yugi. _

_Help me. _

_Please help me._

But no one was there.

His tongue forced its way into my mouth, and I resisted the urge to gag. I'd shared intimate kisses like this before, but never this forceful and always willingly. Thank heavens it didn't last for long. His lips removed from mine and tracked their way to my neck. I felt his teeth nip sharply at the point where my pulse beat the strongest, and I suddenly was sure that he would bite through to the vein, spilling my blood so he could consume that, too. His tongue stroked over the point where his teeth had made small marks in my skin, soothing a little of the pain.

Though his lips remained busy with my neck, his hands were finding amusement elsewhere. When he'd first kissed me, his hands curved to fit inside my waist. They were warm and smooth, soft. Everything about Bakura seemed to betray that he was nothing more than a child; everything but his eyes, that were as ancient and violent as the gems on a sacrificial dagger.

Now, they were sliding up my sides with aching slowness. His right hand slipped around to the small of my back, resting disturbingly close to the top of my shorts.

His other hand rose to cup itself over one breast.

At that intimate, erotic, petrifying, terrifying touch, I screamed and began to fight him, trying with all my strength to get away. He pressed himself against me, pinning me completely to the wall, and covered my mouth with his hand. "Now, now, none of that. Let's not make this any more difficult than it has to be."

His thumb slowly began stroking me, sending ripples of sensation throughout my body. I moaned against his hand; as much as it disgusted me to admit it, the feeling was indeed one of pleasure. My body was becoming aware, becoming receptive to his touch.

Almost as if it recognized him.

He smiled. "Ah, you remember now. I knew _this_" he brushed his thumb over the erect point beneath my top, "would bring back a little of your memories. Just how much do you recall, hmm?" He bent to kiss my throat again. "Do you remember when I first touched you? Perhaps our first kiss?" I felt his mouth become a crescent against my skin. "I'm afraid it wasn't quite as romantic as I would've liked, but I daresay it sufficed."

I could feel his breath coming faster. "You belonged to me all those years ago. And you will belong to me again."

"Never!"

The thought was mine. The voice was not.

I looked up to see Yugi standing at the entrance of the alleyway, his fists clenched in fury, his stance one of pure rage.

"Get away from her, Bakura!"

"Ah, Yugi. How kind of you to join us. I'm afraid you've caught us at a rather inopportune moment. Perhaps you'll be good enough to come back later?"

Yugi sprinted for us, and suddenly, I was thrown to the ground behind Bakura. My head struck hard against the filthy concrete, and my vision swam.

"If you lay one more hand on her, Bakura, I swear you'll live to regret it."

"How romantic. You think you can protect her from me, Yugi? You have no idea the strength of my claim on her. She is mine."

"You will not touch her. Not now, not ever."

I tried to stay awake, fought hard against the darkness that crept into the edges of my sight, but soon I lost the strength to resist. I lost myself to the blackness that promised relief, rest, and comfort for this nightmare that had become unforgiving reality. My last thought before losing consciousness was that if Bakura truly did have a claim to me, to my body, that I would never wake up again.

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><p><em>Oh, Bakura. You're so much fun to write about. Please PLEASE keep reviewing, it means an awful lot! Thanks, and I hope this chapter finds you well!<em>


	9. Chapter 9

"Naomi! _Naomi!_ Please, wake up!"

Naomi? Who was Naomi? Why was this blissful darkness leaving me?

"Naomi! Can you hear me? Please, open your eyes!"

Slowly, I did as he asked. The first thing I was aware of was a deep pain at the back of my head.

The second was that I seemed to be on the ground.

The third was that I was in someone's arms.

I remembered Bakura, remembered how his hands had been on me, how his lips had crushed mine possessively, and the last of the darkness flew away in panic. I tried to get away, tried to propel myself out of that embrace, but I didn't have the strength anymore.

"Calm down! He's gone. You're safe."

That voice. Not Bakura's. I looked up, forcing my eyes to focus and bringing the blurry smudges of color into a clear picture. Yugi was looking down at me, his amethyst eyes wide and worried.

"Naomi?"

I clutched at him, the only point of sanity in this world that was breaking apart.

"Yugi!"

To my surprise, I realized that I was crying and shaking. He pulled me against him, holding me with one arm curled protectively around my back, his cheek pressed against the top of my head. His other hand stroked my hair, my face, comforting me and reassuring me.

"It's okay."

After a few minutes, I managed to pull myself together, managed to push down the hysteria until I could speak in a coherent voice. "What is going on?"

He sighed. "This isn't the place to discuss this. Let's get you somewhere safe." He pulled me gently to my feet and swung my arm over his shoulder, supporting me as we walked.

We went inside the nearest open shop, which happened to be a bookstore. Had I been viewing this scene outside of myself, I would've found the irony of me seeking solace and safety in a bookstore too delicious.

We found a secluded, quiet corner that housed a few comfortable chairs for sitting and browsing. Yugi sat me in one, waving away the saleswoman who had followed us worriedly from the front of the store, offering me everything from a glass of water to a call for the police.

I assured her quietly that I was fine, and that I just needed to be left alone. She shot Yugi a suspicious glance, but walked away reluctantly. Yugi sat on the ottoman that was positioned just in front of my chair, grasping my hands, which were icy and trembling.

"Do you need anything?"

I shook my head. "No." I thought for a moment. "Yes. An explanation." I looked up, expecting him to protest. "Don't deny that you know something, Yugi, I know you do. Why else would you have been there? How else could you have known that I was in trouble?"

He ducked his head and sighed. "Alright. What do you want to know?"

There were so many things that I didn't understand, so many things that didn't make sense. But I felt the rest would fall into place if he could answer my first question.

"Who are you?"

His eyes caught mine, and there again was a flash of crimson deep within the violet. "I don't know."

I narrowed my eyes in anger. "Don't you dare play games with me, Yugi!"

"Lower your voice," he whispered. "I don't know who I am, Naomi. I know nothing of my past, of my life. I don't even know my real name."

"You're Yugi, aren't you? Or at least a part of him. Like…a split personality."

"Not quite." He slipped one of his hands from my grasp and gripped his Puzzle, bringing it forward so it caught a sliver of the dim light. "I was locked inside the Puzzle for a long time, and when Yugi solved it, my spirit was released. I live inside him, sometimes inhabiting his body, and otherwise dwelling within the Puzzle itself."

I was silent for a long moment, drinking in what he was telling me. As ludicrous as it sounded, as improbable and insane, I believed him. I couldn't find any reason why he would lie, or why he would tell me something so extremely unbelievable if it wasn't the truth. Honestly, it explained the demeanor changes a lot better than the idea of a split-personality did.

"So…if you're not Yugi, then who are you? I mean, what's your name? Surely Yugi, if he knows you're there, he must call you something."

He nodded. "Yes, Yugi is aware of me. I would never possess a body that wasn't willing. You've seen the ill effects of that." His eyes darkened, and I shivered. "He calls me Yami."

"Yami." I liked the name. There was something commanding, yet warm to it. "Alright." I slipped my hands from his and leaned back into the chair, pulling my knees to my chest and hugging them to me. "It's obvious that you know Bakura. Do you know why he has this…fixation with me?"

He shook his head. "No. Like me, Bakura's spirit is ancient, living within the Ring as I live inside the Puzzle. As you've seen, Bakura is manipulative, evil, and determined to gain whatever he desires, no matter the cost."

"He said that we…we were…" I forced the word from my lips, "…lovers in our previous lives." I hid my face in my arms. "This can't be true. Tell me there's no way this could happen."

He was silent for long moment. "Naomi, anything is possible. You've seen the magic of the Millennium Items. Perhaps your spirit did exist long ago."

No. I refused to accept that I might have loved Bakura. As much as I hated to admit it, there was something alluring about him, but nothing that he said or did would ever make me want to slip into his bed. He may have touched me intimately, but he didn't know me intimately. He was evil, and I would never let myself submit to him.

"How do you know him?" If we were in one of my beloved novels, they would've been bitter rivals in their past lives, and now Yami, the tragic hero, was sent back to battle his greatest enemy once again. I closed my eyes.

No.

I would not do this to myself. I knew it was entire possible for me to pull myself into a peaceful little shell and refused to accept that this was true, but now was not the time to let my love for fiction take over. This was all too real. I could not convince myself that we were nothing more than words on a page. I clenched my fists and brought my head back up, no longer letting myself hide from my life.

"The real Bakura is a friend of Yugi's. I met the Spirit of the Ring at Duelist Kingdom, when he trapped Yugi, Tea, Tristan, Joey, and Bakura in a Shadow Game."

"Shadow Game?"

"A duel that takes place in the Shadow Realm. If one loses a Shadow Game, their soul is stripped from their body." He paused, then at the look on my face, decided to tell me the truth. "Your father used the magic of his Eye to transport us into the Shadow Realm during our duel. Since he was the one that cast the spell, his soul was spared."

I nodded. I thought that this news would shock me, but it seemed I was numb to surprises now. All I felt was a small ache in my chest, as if a cold hand was slowly squeezing my heart.

"So…what do we do now?"

Yami sighed. "I think it would best if you left Domino. Bakura obviously won't stop looking for you, and you'd be safer back with your father. He can give you a lot better protection than I can."

_Something about you makes that hard to believe_, I thought. I looked at him, trying to study his eyes, looking for something that would betray his true intentions. "Do you want me to leave?"

"Naomi, don't-"

"Answer me, Yami. After all I've had to endure, you owe me that. Do you want me to go?"

He was silent, and when he brought his head up, locking eyes with me, I could swear that the violet seemed a little softer, a little more liquid, as if it contained tears that remained unshed.

"No. I don't want you to leave. I wish that you could stay here in Domino. With me," he added, and my heart skipped a beat. I vaguely wondered why.

"But I cannot, I _will not_ risk you getting hurt. Bakura is dangerous, and if something happened to you, I'd never forgive myself." He tried to smile, but instead, he just looked pained. "It's better for you, safer, if you just go home."

I wasn't quite sure what had just happened, but something had become clear. Our relationship had changed. I didn't know if it was for better or for worse, but I could never look at him the same way as I did when we'd first met.

"Okay. I'll make the arrangements. I can leave tonight."

I stood, unfolding my legs out from my chest, and stood without a tremor, betraying no outwards signs of weakness. Inside, I wanted to wrap my arms around his neck, bury my face in his chest and beg him to let me stay.

Even as the urge came over me, I swept it aside, knowing that it was foolish, childish, and weak. Yami was right. I wasn't safe here. I would be better protected at home with my father and his network of security. For my own well-being, I couldn't give in to my emotions.

"Thank you for your hospitality. Please convey my apologies to everyone else for leaving so suddenly."

He nodded, but remained silent. Then, surprising the both of us, I hugged him tightly. He hesitated, but then returned it just as strongly.

"Be careful, Yami. He wants you too."

"I'll be fine, Naomi." He sighed, and I felt his breath stir a few strands of my hair against my neck, causing a shiver to run down my spine. "Please, stay safe." I felt lips pressed to my cheek softly, chastely, and a hand gently stroking my hair.

"Goodbye."

And with that, I left the store, not allowing myself a single glance back.

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><p><em>Is this the end? Nah, of course not, I'm having way too much fun writing this! Keep reviewing, it means a lot and it really helps! Cheers!<em>


	10. Chapter 10

Hey there! Just a heads up: the reason this chapter is in italics is because it's told from Yugi/Yami's point of view. I'm sorry that it's so short, but I've been kind of busy lately, which is a lame excuse, but there it is. I'm SO excited that you guys are starting to review a little more, and I'm getting some really excellent feedback. Keep it up, and I'll try my best to update every day!

* * *

><p><em>Yami walked down the sidewalk, his hands in his pockets and his eyes to the pavement. The moon was bright overhead, the stars glimmering hopefully in the clear black sky. He shook his head. This was a night for clouds and soft rain, not the silver romance of moonlight.<em>

_(Yami? Are you okay?)_

_He sighed as a ghostly image of Yugi appeared next to him, invisible to everyone else but clear to him. It was impossible to keep anything from his young counterpart._

_(I'll be fine, Yugi)._

_(You don't seem fine.) He sensed the young one pondering something. (Is it about Naomi?)_

_He said nothing, but his thoughts were enough to let Yugi know that it was._

_(Tell me what you're thinking. Please? Maybe I can help.)_

_Yami sighed inwardly. (She's leaving, Yugi. There's not much you can do.)_

_(Yami, please, talk to me.)_

_He stopped, his hands clenched into fists. (I can't, Yugi. This is all new to me. I don't know how to feel about this…about her.) Yugi encouraged him wordlessly to continue, but it was hard for him to put into words just exactly how it was feeling. (She…she made me feel complete. I can't explain it. It's as if I've known her before. Like if got to know her, I'd get to know myself. And if anything happened to her…)_

_Yami closed his eyes, not even wanting to imagine the possibility of what might have happened if he hadn't been there to stop Bakura. When Naomi said that Bakura had told her that they'd been lovers in a previous life, Yami's body had burned with anger. Even the suggestion of Bakura being that close to her, having his hands on her skin, his lips crushed against hers…it made him feel fury like he'd never known before. His mind raged at the thought of her with another man._

_(Do you think you love her?)_

_Yugi's timid voice intruded on his thoughts. Of course the little one could hear everything that went on within his head. Yami sank onto a bench that faced the street, holding his head in his hands. (I don't know, Yugi. I certainly like her, and I don't want anything bad to happen to her. But I feel as if it's deeper than that.)_

_(Like how her ring reacted to the Puzzle.)_

_(Exactly.) Yami thought back to that moment when he'd first appeared to her in the mall. He'd helped her to her feet after Kaiba had knocked her against the wall, and when their eyes had met in that moment, it felt as if he'd been hit by a bolt of lightning. Her eyes, such a beautiful, deep blue, like the sky but kinder. They'd captured him, swallowed him whole. It was as if he could find everything he'd been searching for within those eyes. Then, the Puzzle had grown warm to the touch, glowing slightly. The feeling that it seemed to be transmitting to him was one of recovery, the feeling of finding a treasure that had been lost long ago. As the Puzzle had warmed, so had his heart._

_When she'd revealed that Pegasus was her father, his first reaction was to feel hostility and mistrust toward her. But, oddly enough, he hadn't been able to. There was no concealment in her voice, no trace of any untruths. She didn't know what her father had done. She was innocent of his crime._

_That night, when he'd walked her home and Bakura had attacked them for the first time, the only thought that had crossed his mind was to get her away from Bakura, to make sure she was safe. When he'd woken from being knocked unconscious and had seen her sitting curled up, looking frightened, defeated, and alone, there had been a strange and painful ache in his chest. He wondered now to himself if that was what the sensation of having your heart broken truly felt like. It seemed like an accurate description. He wanted so badly to go back, to do something that would spare her the pain and distress she was so clearly feeling. He wanted to take all of her fear away._

_Then, when he had touched her, that same feeling of an electrical shock had jolted through his veins, and by the widening comprehension in her azure eyes, he knew she'd felt it too. Within the touch was a familiarity, as if he'd cradled her face in his hands before. As if, at some point in the past, he'd wanted to soothe away her pain just as he did now. When she'd covered his hand with hers, pressing his palm to her cheek, happiness exploded in his chest with a wonderful, golden warmth. He wished that they could have stayed like that for hours; then, perhaps, the reason for the strange, shared feeling of recognition would become clear._

_The next day, it happened again. When Ryou had frightened her so badly at the beach, when she'd thought her life was in danger again, he had felt duty-bound to protect her, to take away the fear. He hadn't been able to keep himself from holding her, from bringing her into his embrace with the promise that she could find shelter there, that there, she would always be safe. For a moment, it seemed as if she'd known what he was trying to give her. She'd relaxed in his arms, had laid her head over his beating heart._

_But she'd pushed him away. The thought of it filled him with disappointment, as if he'd failed at a task that was of the greatest importance._

_Yami groaned. Why was he feeling this way? This wasn't how normal people felt about their friends. Was he doing something wrong?_

_(Actually, Yami, I think you're doing something right.)_

_Confusion. (What do you mean?)_

_(Well, you're right that people don't normally feel that way about their friends. But I think that's because Naomi's not just a friend.)_

_(Yugi, what are you trying to tell me? That I'm in love with her?)_

_(I may not have much experience when it comes to relationships, but yeah, I think you are.)_

_(That's impossible.)_

_(Why?)_

_(Because…I can't. I can't be falling in love with someone else when I don't even know who I am. It's just not something I should be focusing on right now.)_

_(But what if she can help you unlock your past?)_

_Yami was silent for a moment. (What do you mean?)_

_(Think about it. It would explain why the Puzzle and the Band reacted to each other. Maybe…you loved her. Y'know, in your other life.)_

_(We don't know that, Yugi. We don't even know that she had another life.)_

_(Bakura said she did.)_

_(Look at what else Bakura told her!) Yami's thoughts had become a snarl, and outwardly, his upper lip curled over his clenched teeth. (If what he said was true, then Naomi didn't love me. She loved him!)_

_Almost against his will, his closed fist flew out and slammed against a wooden doorway. He stood still, silent except for his excited breathing. (I can't be falling in love with her, Yugi. If I do, and she belongs to Bakura…if she loves him and not me…) Yami didn't finish the thought, but he could feel that Yugi understood. He looked up at the sky that was still clear and hopeful, wanting it to be full of heavy clouds that would match his dark mood. He spoke one word out loud, and the sound of it coming from his lips, the feeling that it created when it vibrated in his throat caused tears to swim in his eyes._

_"Naomi."_

Yugi slept fitfully that night, mostly because of the restless wandering Yami did within their minds. Therefore, he felt completely unprepared when Tea, Tristan, and Joey showed up at the store the next morning, wondering if he'd called Naomi and if she'd be coming with them today.

"No. She left."

The three of them looked crestfallen. Joey spoke first. "What? Why? I didn't think she was ready to go home yet."

"Is she okay? She isn't sick or anything, is she?"

Yugi shook his head. "No, Tristan, she's not sick." He sighed. "I guess we didn't tell you. The other night, Bakura attacked her. I thought that she'd be okay, but he went after her again last night."

"_What?_ Why didn't you say anything, Yugi? We coulda found that creep and beat him to a pulp!"

"Joey, if she'd wanted you to know, she would have told you. He didn't hurt her, but he came really close. She decided that she'd be safer back home with her dad. At least for now."

Tea's hand strayed to her chest, pressed over the gold chain, her finger rubbing against the friendship knot. She looked like she would cry. "But…she didn't even say goodbye."

"Yugi, you've got to do something," Tristan urged. "Talk to her, tell her that we can-"

"Tristan, I can't. She's already left. She's gone."

Yugi wasn't sure whether hearts could sob, but it felt as if Yami's heart, though he tried so desperately to hide it, had just uttered one. Yugi felt loneliness that he knew didn't belong to him flooding through his mind.

_Naomi, _he thought,_ I hope you come back soon. For Yami's sake._

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><p>Again, I'm sorry that it's short. Alright, for our first character song, I've chosen Mai Valentine. She actually has another appearance coming up in the story, but that's not really something I should be telling you :). Anyway, her song is Oh No! by Marina and the Diamonds. I think it fits her perfectly, and as a bonus, the song is really catchy and bouncy. I encourage you to look it up on YouTube, it's really worth it. Have a great daynight, depending on what time you read this! Cheers!


	11. Chapter 11

I took a breath.

Blew it out.

Sucked in another.

This was going to be difficult.

After leaving Domino City, I'd had the entire helicopter ride to think about what I was going to say to my father once we arrived back at the castle. I'd certainly had no distractions from Rupert and Anton. They were both rather upset with me for running off without telling them, and for insisting on leaving so suddenly. I wasn't concerned about them.

It was how I was going to confront my father that troubled me. I wasn't even sure that I had forgiven him yet. I wanted to, because heaven knows I still loved my father. He was the only family I had. I knew he wasn't an evil man at heart, that if he'd never possessed the Eye, he wouldn't have done such horrible things.

But the fact remained that he had. He had virtually tortured the Kaiba family and had stolen the soul of a defenseless, innocent old man. It was despicable, to say the least.

Now I had to confront him about it.

He was waiting in the front sitting room, and a pang struck my heart when I saw the new eyepatch that had been fixed over the left socket. He smiled and opened his arms, and I ran to him, reminding myself of the blind trust I had when I was a child that he would sweep me up in his arms and keep me safe from everything.

We embraced, squeezing each other tightly, and I was surprised to find out that I'd missed him.

"It's good to have you home, Naomi."

I nodded; for some reason, it was suddenly hard to speak. He kissed my forehead, then released me, smiling gently.

"So? Is everything in order with Duke?"

I cleared my throat. "Yes. Everything is signed, sealed, and stamped. Mr. Devlin should be sending you the revised business plan within the month."

"Excellent. And did you enjoy your stay in Domino?"

I stiffened, and his smile slipped. "Naomi? What's wrong?" He put a hand on my shoulder. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, but we need to talk."

He indicated the overstuffed sofa and took his place beside me after I'd sat down. "What is it?"

I sighed, hesitated, then spit it out. "I met Yugi Muto while I was there. He told me about everything that happened during the tournament."

It was his turn to stiffen. "Oh."

"I've thought long and hard about this. All I want to know is why. Why did you do this? What possibly possessed you to think that ripping a person's soul from their body was an acceptable course of action?"

He took my hand, gripping it almost desperately. "I'm so sorry you had to find out this way. I didn't want you to become involved in this." He sighed. "You have to understand, I'm not that man anymore. Something about that Eye…it caused me to act in a way that I never would have without it."

At the look on my face, he added, "Please don't think that I'm justifying what I did or blaming it on the Eye. I understand that I'm completely responsible."

I nodded, then arched my eyebrows, encouraging him to continue.

"You just don't know what it's like. I loved your mother so much, Naomi. I can't even begin to express the level of devotion I had for her. I would have done anything for her. We were soulmates in every sense of the word. She was _everything_ to me. And by some miracle, she loved me, too. We just had ourselves, the two of us. We were all that we needed.

"And then you came along. She was so happy when she told me that she was pregnant, so happy that we were going to have a baby. All the worry and anxiety I felt over becoming a father went away when I saw her eyes light up as you kicked. I didn't think I could love her any more than I already did, but when I saw her holding you for the first time…"

He couldn't finish his thought, couldn't find the words to convey just how he'd felt. "It was the most perfect moment of my life. I had a beautiful wife who had just given birth to my child, my daughter. I didn't think anything could ruin that happiness.

"When she got sick, it changed everything. I saw her getting weaker, saw her wasting away no matter what doctor she saw or what treatment she tried. It was agony to watch, but at least she was still with me, still beside me in the world. I tried to nurse her back to health, but I couldn't. I wasn't enough. I failed her."

He paused, collecting himself, then continued. "The disease took her fast. One day she was there, weak but alive, still able to speak and smile. The next day she was gone."

His voice trembled, but his remaining eye remained dry. In spite of myself, my heart ached. It was impossible not to feel the desperate sadness that had taken over him, and the tears that he refused to shed began to stream from my eyes.

I hadn't known my mother very well; the only memory I had of her was of being held in arms that were soft, gentle, looking up at a face that was smiling tenderly and lovingly. Now I wished I had, only so that I could share in his despair, and by sharing it, perhaps lessen it. It pained me to see him like this, heart-broken and miserable.

He continued. "I missed her so much. It was as if, when she'd died, she'd ripped my soul out and taken it with her. I thought that as the days went on, I'd eventually stop hurting. But it didn't stop. The pain took over everything. I stopped painting, stopped eating, stopped _living._ I wanted the pain to end. I wanted to see your mother again so desperately that I would try anything. I began to search the earth for some sort of method of bringing back souls, and I didn't turn up anything until I reached Egypt."

He stopped, the slightly vacant look on his face suggesting that he were reliving some memory from the past. I knew the rest of the story from there, the tale of how he'd come to possess the Eye. I bit my lip and cursed my compassion. Ever since I could remember, I'd been overly compassionate, able to feel the emotional torment of others around me, even the artificial emotions of characters in a story. It was draining on me, sapping me of my strength very quickly.

It was one of the reasons I preferred my life of moderate isolation. Not having to surround myself with new people and all of their emotional conflicts made it easier on me. But with my father…it was different. I _wanted_ to share his suffering. I wanted him to know that I was beside him, no matter what. I could feel the pain still coming off of him, radiating out from his heart, and I squeezed his hand.

"It's okay."

He looked at me and pressed his mouth into a thin line. I smiled.

"I understand. You don't have to explain yourself anymore."

He nodded, smiling back half-heartedly. "You look so much like her, you know."

"I know."

He put an arm around my shoulder and pulled me close against him. "It's a good thing I have you, Naomi. You remind me so much of your mother than sometimes, I can almost imagine she's still here."

I felt warmth, peace, understanding. My father was not a monster, or a villain. He was simply a man who had been put through a great deal of heartache. Pain can change a person; copious amounts can reduce one to the helplessness of an infant.

In my isolated and sheltered life, I hadn't known much suffering. For the most part, I read about in books. After all, pain was what made the characters so heroic.

Tragedy sells. Always has.

I had to admit, it was wonderful to be back in my own room. I'd never much cared for traveling. However, I didn't have much time to relax after I returned to the island. My father had adopted the concept of retirement, but still needed someone to run his company, and as his only heir, it was my job to take over once he stepped down.

I started attending meetings, listening to business proposals, looking at stock ledgers. It was boring and exhausting work, and deep down, a part of me wished that I was still with Kaiba, just so could help me run this company.

A week passed. Two weeks. A month. And another.

I missed the gang in Domino desperately, wanting to hear Joey's goofy laugh and see Yugi's endearing blush so badly that it felt like a physical ache. I found myself checking my email constantly for a message from Kaiba, hoping that the completion of my ring's tests would give me an excuse to go back to Domino.

At last, six months after I'd returned to my father's castle, I checked my messages to find an email from Kaiba. My heart leapt, and I opened it, anxious to see what it said.

_Naomi,_

_I've finished the tests on the ring, and there's something you need to see. Please come to Domino as soon as you can. _

_Regards, Kaiba._

I sighed. How very reticent, taciturn, and blunt. How very _Kaiba_. I smiled, excited at the prospect of returning to Domino City again. I decided that I would leave today, drop in on Yugi and the gang tonight, then go see Kaiba first thing in the morning.

I alerted my father and the business staff, declining the offer to take someone with me. I wasn't worried about Bakura now; it had been so long since I was in Domino that I was certain he'd given up the search for me. Besides, despite what Yami said, I felt that being around the gang was protection enough.

Yami.

I hadn't forgotten him.

I hid my face in my hand. I was apprehensive about seeing him again, but I felt that it was crucial that I do so. Whether I understood it or not, Yami and I were connected somehow, even if it was just by our Millennium Items. I wanted to know why were bound together. Perhaps I did have a past life, as Bakura had suggested, although I refused to believe that I had ever been his lover. I could never love him.

_Like you love Yami?_

It was as if my romantic side had posed the question, wanting to hear me sigh and proclaim my deepest passion for him. The part of me that was devoted to books and fiction wanted to admit that I loved him. But my logical half just wasn't sure. We were connected, yes. But was it love that bound us? True, in those moments when he had touched me, held me, I'd felt safe and at peace, as if I'd found a lasting and infallible shelter. As if his arms were my safe haven, and always would be. But it didn't seem to me that this alone could be construed as love. All it meant to me was that I was safe around him.

_You can't deny it forever_, my romantic side purred. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. I'd dreaded the day when my love for books would take its toll on my mind. Now, I feared, the day had come.

I boarded the helicopter that would take me to Domino. It was about one in the afternoon, and we were projected to land around nine. It would be cutting it close, but nothing would keep me from seeing my friends again.

_Seeing Yami again._

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><p><em>Here we go, back to Domino! Wonder what's going to happen this time? <em>

_The character song for today is for Yami Bakura/The Thief King. It's Deceiver of Fools by Within Temptation. Credit goes to **Luna's Eclipse** for the song. Cheers!_


	12. Chapter 12

_Alright, so since I'm not getting hardly any song requests, I'm going to stop doing the character songs. I'm sorry, but them's the breaks._

_Anyway, I'd like to extend some well-deserved thank you's. To **Luna's Eclipse**, for motivating my lazy butt to write when I didn't think anybody was reading. To **SangNoire, Actus Rea, Applejax XD, heartsneverfall, OMGuava, bookworm2131, **and **BookWorm2543** for reviewing, and finally, to **Anshu,** for the amazing feedback and encouragement. Thank you all, I appreciate your input and your views so much!_

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><p>For once, I didn't feel like reading during the flight. I simply sat back and watched the sun slowly setting, the scenery passing by below us. I thought about all that I had learned during my last trip to Domino; the truth about Yugi and his Puzzle, the possibility that my ring was in fact the Millennium Band, the deeds committed by my father during his tournament, Bakura's wicked determination to possess me, and the idea that my heart, as human and breakable as it was, could be falling for another.<p>

Magic was not outside the realm of my imagination, as it was with people like Kaiba, so I could believe that spirits could live within enchanted objects.

As my ring was extremely old and had come from a land known for its connection to the supernatural, it was no stretch to think that it could be a Millennium Item.

I had forgiven my father, and I only loved him more for his faults.

I was convinced that I would be safe as long as I was around either Yugi and his group of friends, or Kaiba.

The only new development that I was having trouble wrapping myself around was the possibility that I was in love with Yami.

Yami, who didn't even exist in a physical sense.

Yami, who knew nothing about his past, his life, or even himself.

As much as I wished it was different, Yami wasn't much more than a shadow within Yugi's mind. I relished the feeling of being in his arms, but I could not convince myself that those arms would always be open to me.

The subdued hum of the chopper blades and the dimming light caused drowsiness to steal over me, and soon, I was asleep, slumped in my seat with my hair falling over my face.

_This world was different. Yet it was not unfamiliar._

_I had been here before._

_I could feel the sensation of silk rippling sensuously over my skin, felt the cool breezes of the desert night weave in the long strands of my hair._

_Desert? Night? I'd never been to the desert. What was going on?_

"_My love."_

_That voice. I knew that beautiful, deep voice._

"_That's right. Come to me."_

_Where was he? I saw nothing but cool darkness and shadow. _

"_Lie back."_

_I found myself doing as he commanded, wanting only to please the owner of the voice. I was lying on something soft; a bed perhaps. The voice spoke again. _

"_Close your eyes, dear one."_

_I did. I felt a hand weave itself in my hair, combing through the strands with unmistakable tenderness. _

"_My little dove."_

_The words were spoken in my ear; he was so close that I could feel his breath on my skin. I shivered, but it was not an unpleasant sensation. I felt tender kisses on my closed eyelids, on my forehead, my cheeks. Then, gently, a pair of lips covered mine. His mouth felt like warm satin, incredibly soft and undemanding. I found myself kissing him back, wanting the taste of him seared on my lips forever. One hand was still tangled in my hair. The other curved to fit my waist. His touches were soft, as if I was very fragile. _

_I knew him. _

_I knew every word he spoke, the feel of his skin against mine. _

_I recognized his kiss._

_He spoke something, a whisper against the corner of my mouth, and it sounded like a name. _

_My name. _

_Not Naomi, but something else that I knew belonged to me. I strained to hear what he'd said, but I couldn't. However, as his lips moved from my mouth to my neck, it didn't seem to be of much importance. His teeth scraped lightly against my pulse-point, the sweep of his tongue following to soothe away any pain that the slight nip might have left. Between kisses, he murmured in a low voice that sent pulses rippling through my core._

"_Fear not my touch, dear one. So my arms held you in the past, so they always will."_

_I couldn't speak. There was no need. Somehow he could hear every thought, every doubt that crossed my mind. As they came, as the darkness seemed close to overwhelming me, he would place an earnest kiss on my face, my lips, my throat. It made the darkness small, unimportant; his kisses made me forget everything that I had ever feared, everything that had ever caused me sadness or anger or regret. His kisses brought only light and love._

_(Who are you?)_

_I could hear the smile on his face when he spoke. "You know me. I am the one that you loved, who loved you in return. I am the one that you shall love again."_

_(Bakura?)_

_There was a slight burn of anger in his voice now. "No. That fiend will never lay a hand on you again. I will always protect what is most precious to me. You will always be safe, my love."_

_(Is this a dream?)_

"_I'm afraid so. But only for now. Soon, we'll be together again. I ache for the day when I can see your shining smile, can taste your kiss."_

_(I want that, too.)_

_Warmth burned in my chest and stomach, and I knew it was simply him showing me how happy I had just made him. "Little dove, thank you." There was a twinge of sadness in his voice as he continued. "It is time for you to return to your world."_

_(No. I want to stay with you.)_

"_In time, we can spend eternity together. But now, you have business elsewhere. Worry not, I am always with you."_

_(Please…)_

"_I know it's hard. But you must return. You must open your eyes."_

_I bit my lip and did as he instructed, hoping that I could at least catch a glimpse of him before he was gone. All I saw was a flash of golden light and the design of an Egyptian eye, and then he vanished, leaving no trace that he was ever there. The darkness of the shadows swooped toward me, and I cringed. _

I woke with a jolt.

It was a dream. I could still feel the softness of his kiss, the gentleness of his touch, but it was only a dream.

I looked out the window. The sky was dark, but I could see electric lights in the distance. We must be close to Domino now.

Close to Yami.

It might have been the lingering effects of the dream, but I felt now as if with Yami was where my heart belonged. If it felt so right to be in his arms, then they must truly be my shelter, my home. Even when Kaiba had held me all that time ago, I'd never felt as if it was where I truly belonged. Perhaps this would all seem foolish when we landed, but now it felt as if my heart was swelling with conviction that my feelings for Yami were the truth, and that they should be allowed free reign over me. Was it love? I wasn't sure yet. But something deep inside me, perhaps my romantic side, said that if it wasn't, it would quickly become so.

But was this new awareness shared?

Did Yami have feelings for me?

My instincts said yes, but with the infallibility of the human spirit, one could never be certain of what truly resided in another's heart. If I let myself get wrapped around the idea of Yami and I, just to be crushed when he didn't reciprocate, my heart might not survive the blow.

_If you're afraid, just ask him._

How simple it seemed. Too simple. I sighed as we slowly began descending. It would be worth a shot. If I got it out of the way before things got serious, it would spare us both a lot of distress and bad feelings.

I stretched languorously when I extracted myself from the helicopter. Eight hours was much too long to be sitting in one spot. I left the pilot with instructions that he was to return within a week unless I radioed in with other orders. Another helicopter had taken my things to the hotel I'd stayed at previously. I wasn't concerned with lodgings at the moment. All I wanted was to see my friends again.

My friends. The words sounded lovely together. I smiled and started to walk, knowing that eventually I'd find my way to Yami.

However, when I turned a corner and found myself face to face with someone, it wasn't Yami.

It was Joey.

He was stunned into silence for a moment, something that was quite rare for him, then his face lit up in that big, goofy smile I'd been dying to see.

"Naomi! Is it really you?"

"Joey, of course it's me!"

Before I could say anything else, or even move, I was swept up into the biggest and most enthusiastic hug I'd ever experienced. Joey was swinging me in a circle, and I wrapped my arms around his neck and held on, laughing. "Put me down!"

"No way!"

But of course, he finally did, stumbling a little. No doubt he was dizzy from spinning us both; I certainly was. I put my hands on his shoulders and looked him over. His hair was a little longer, but he still had the same mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"It's so great to see you! How've you been?"

"I'm great, Naomi! Never better!"

I felt something hard against my side, and I looked down. Joey had grabbed my waist to steady me when he's set me back on my feet, and there was something on his left arm that was pressing against me.

"Um, Joey? What is that?"

"Oh." He held up the plastic contraption. "It's a Duel Disk. Kaiba invented them. Only top duelists get to wear one." His chest puffed out, and I could almost feel his ego swelling.

"I don't mean to sound rude, but I was under the impression that Kaiba doesn't regard you as a top duelist. How did you get one?"

His grin disappeared. "I just happen to be a contestant in good standing at Battle City! I've already got two locator cards!"

I raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Joey? What are locator cards? And what is Battle City? I don't live here, remember? I haven't heard about anything that's been going on."

"Oh. Right." His cheeks pinked a little in embarrassment. "Well, Kaiba's hosting this huge Duel Monsters tournament, and he's calling it Battle City. These Duel Disks mean that contestants can duel anywhere."

"So you don't have to use the dueling arenas anymore?"

"Nope."

Kaiba, for all his faults, was undeniably brilliant. I made a mental note to congratulate him on his accomplishment when I went to collect the ring.

"Anyway, how've you been, Naomi?"

I ran a hand through my hair. "Well, since my father stepped down from running Industrial Illusions, it's sort of become my job to do it for him."

"You've been running the company all by yourself?"

"Basically."

"Wow." He looked astonished. I didn't understand why. I was only a few months younger than Kaiba, and he'd run KaibaCorp single-handedly for years. We stood in a rather awkward silence for a moment, before I saw a question dawn on Joey's face. I smiled to myself; it was really kind of adorable just how readable and open his expressions were. "Hey, what exactly are you doing in Domino?"

I held up my right hand. "I'm here to get my ring back from Kaiba."

"Oh." He looked crestfallen. "I thought…maybe…"

I touched his arm. "Joey, just say it."

He sighed. "I thought you'd come back to see us."

I smiled. "Well, of course I did. Getting my ring back just gave me an excuse to come."

"But do you really need an excuse? We're your friends, Naomi."

"I know."

"So why did you leave without saying goodbye?"

There. It was finally out in the open. I sighed and lowered my gaze. "Look, can we go somewhere and talk?"

He nodded and led the way. For the most part, he was silent, which caused guilt to twist in my stomach. I felt awful for just leaving them, but after that talk with Yami, staying any longer than was absolutely necessary didn't seem wise, both for my safety and my sanity's sake.

When we came to a park, Joey led me inside and sat on a bench, inviting me to sit beside him. I sighed and looked at my hands in my lap. "Joey, did Yugi tell you about what happened with Bakura?"

He nodded.

This was going to be tough to say. "I know that this is a bad excuse, but I was…really scared of him. I can't explain it, but there's something evil about that boy."

Joey put a hand on my shoulder. "Naomi, we wouldn't have let that creep get anywhere near you." He grinned. "Maybe we need to have Tea give you her friendship speech."

I smiled back. "Thanks, but I'll pass."

Slowly, Joey put his arm around my shoulder. I smiled; he was so sweet and so awkward. I decided to lean against him, taking the comfort he was offering.

"So, you were scared. Was that all? 'Cause to me, you don't seem like the kind of girl that runs and hides when she gets scared."

Ah. Now we were getting to the heart of it. I twirled a lock of my hair around my finger. "Joey, we're friends, right?"

"Yeah."

"And I can tell you anything, right?"

"Sure."

"Okay." I blew out a breath. "I think I'm falling for someone."

He immediately stiffened. When he spoke, his voice was strained. "Who?"

"You're going to think I'm crazy."

"Have you met Tristan? I hang out with crazy on a daily basis."

I laughed softly. "Alright. Joey, I think I'm starting to have feelings for Yu-"

"_I knew it!"_

His arm tightened around me, crushing me against his side. "Naomi, you don't have to worry about it anymore! Believe me, I feel the same way about you!"

I disentangled myself from his arms. "Oh, Joey…no. You didn't let me finish."

"Heh?"

"I have feelings for Yugi's spirit friend, Yami."

"O-Oh."

"I'm so sorry, Joey. I kind of guessed that you liked me, but I just don't feel the same way. You're like my brother, you know?"

He sighed. "I guess. I'm sorry for just blurting that out."

"It's alright. I'd rather you be honest with me."

He was silent, then grinned in a way that told me everything was good between us. "So, you think you're falling for the Spirit of the Puzzle?"

I nodded. "I know it sounds insane and impossible, but…if I'm not, then I really don't know what's wrong with me." I raised my hands in frustration. "I just need to talk to him, you know?"

"Then what are we waiting for?"

"Hmm?"

"Let's go find Yugi!"

He pulled me to my feet and began walking in the direction of the game shop, chattering good-naturedly the entire way. I smiled to myself; as anxious as I was to find Yami, I was really enjoying this time spent with Joey. He truly was like my brother, my friend. I was glad I'd met him; even if his feelings toward me weren't exactly brotherly, he was willing to put them aside so I could explore my own feelings for Yami. It felt wonderful to have him as a friend, and I hoped we would remain so for a very long time.

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><p><em>And there you are! Hope you like! Sorry about the wait, I've been very busy and my wireless is...less than functional. Oh well. Cheers!<em>


	13. Chapter 13

_Sorry for the delay, this story's fighting me. For some reason, I'm really lacking motivation. Oh well._

_*side note* The dream sequence was inspired by the song "Snow White Queen" by Evanescence. I don't own the lyrics, and I don't claim them as my own._

_Happy reading!_

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><p>It was around ten thirty when we got to Solomon Muto's game shop. The lights were off in the store, but above, the windows glowed with dim yellow light. Joey pounded on the glass doors.<p>

"Hey, Yugi! You in there?"

I grabbed his arm. "Joey, they're probably in bed. Let's not-"

"Joey! And Naomi! How can help you?"

Yugi's grandfather had unlocked the shop's doors and was smiling at us. I pressed my lips together and stifled a burst of laughter. The old man was wearing blue pajamas spangled with stars, and a pointed nightcap was perched above the grey spikes of his hair. Frankly, he looked like a caricature of Rip Van Winkle, a youth who sleeps for many years and wakes an old man. I smiled at him.

"Hello, Mr. Muto. I'm sorry to be bothering you so late."

"Nonsense, what can I do for you?"

"Well, I was wondering if we could see Yugi."

He shook his head, and my heart sank. "I'm sorry, but you just missed him. He went to take a walk about ten minutes ago."

"Did he say where he was going?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

I chewed on my lip. "Alright. Thanks anyway."

"If you want, I can let him know you were here when he comes back. I'm sure he'd want to see you."

"Thanks, I'd appreciate that."

He nodded. "Well, goodnight Naomi, Joey."

"'Night, Gramps."

We walked away, my eyes glued to the concrete of the sidewalk. I had a bad feeling nagging at me. Maybe Yugi had left on purpose; maybe he and Yami didn't want to see me. Logic tried to intervene, stating that there was no way Yugi could have known I was coming, but my guilt and worry outweighed the matter-of-fact thoughts.

"Hey."

Joey grabbed my elbow gently and pulled me to a stop. I looked up at him.

"What is it?"

"Don't look so down, 'kay? I know you miss him, but you can always see him tomorrow, right?"

I dipped my head again. "Joey…what if he's angry with me for leaving? What if he doesn't want to see me?"

To my surprise, Joey curled two fingers under my chin and lifted my head up. He was smiling gently. "Listen, Naomi, if I know Yugi, and I do, as soon as he knows you're here, he'll be dying to see you. Yugi's not the kind of guy that gets mad, y'know?"

"But what about Yami?" I remembered when he had rescued me from Bakura the second time, the pure rage in his voice and his furious stance. "He's the type that would get angry."

"Hey, Yami may be a mystery, but he's not a bad guy. He's been there for me and the rest of the gang more times than I can count. Just a couple days ago, he chased down this creep in a cape and beat him in a duel just so he could get back a card the freak had taken from me."

I sighed and smiled; Joey had a point. I put my hand on his shoulder. "Thanks."

"No problem." He grinned. "Now, why don't you go get some rest? I'm sure Yugi'll be calling you first thing in the morning."

"Thanks, Joey." I stood on the tips of my toes and kissed his cheek. "You're the best."

His face turned an amusing shade of crimson. "Ehh…don't mention it."

Joey insisted on walking me to the hotel, and I kept an unnerved watch on the shadows, convinced that by reliving this walk, Bakura was sure to attack again. I knew Yami could stand against the powers of the Ring, but Joey might not fare so well. To my immense relief, not a single evil force sought to destroy us that night.

Once safely locked in my room, I pulled out my phone, staring at the screen. Why was it, whenever I returned from somewhere with questions on my mind, the next step was to call Kaiba? He'd already taken up a good portion of my life, did he really need to invade more of it? I sighed; it was inevitable, I supposed. After all, I couldn't just walk in on him unexpected tomorrow. I needed to let him know that I had arrived back in Domino and that I was coming to collect my ring. I pinched the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger and pressed the send button. After two rings, he picked up.

"What is it?"

"Kaiba, it's me. I just wanted to let you know that I'm in Domino."

"That was fast."

"Well, you have something of mine and I want it back."

The sharpness in my voice didn't escape him. "Calm down, Naomi. I'm not a thief and I don't plan to keep what isn't mine."

I let out a breath. "Can I come by tomorrow or not?"

"I have a bit of free time between ten and eleven-thirty tomorrow morning."

"Perfect. I'll be there at ten." I paused. "So, what exactly did you find in the ring?"

"If I tell you now, it'll ruin the surprise."

"Seto Kaiba, are you _teasing_ me?"

"Perhaps."

I could tell by his tone that he was wearing his signature smirk. I was heavily reminded of the times when we'd been together, those times when it was just Seto and me. In those moments, a little of his icy exterior melted, and he became almost human. He would joke with me in a way that he usually only reserved for his brother. It was the only time I ever really felt close to him, and I cherished those moment deeply, even now. I smiled.

"So, how've you been?"

Silence. I could almost feel his eyebrow lifting. "What's the point of this?"

"I'm just trying to have a polite conversation. Are you incapable of manners as well as emotion?"

"This _conversation_ serves no purpose other than to waste my time."

"Fine, Kaiba. Go back to your shell and hide."

"Excuse me?" I appeared to have struck a nerve. "I don't hide from anything."

"Really? Because you seem to be hiding from me."

"Maybe I just don't want to waste my time with you anymore."

I sighed. That one hurt. "Kaiba, what's the matter with you? What have I done?"

He was silent for a moment. "Nothing. You did nothing while your _father_ kidnapped my little brother and took his soul!"

So this was the reason behind his coldness. "Kaiba, I wasn't even on the island. I had no idea what was going on. Believe me, if I had known, I would have put a stop to it. I'd never intentionally let Mokuba or you get hurt."

He scoffed. "How noble of you."

"Kaiba, for once, just shut up and listen!" My outburst must have surprised him, because he didn't respond. "You know that I care for you. I care for you both _a lot_. Mokuba's like my own kid brother. I would rather have my own soul taken than to see either of you suffer."

"Don't patronize me, Naomi."

I growled in frustration. "Kaiba, I'm not patronizing you! I am telling you that you have no reason to be so bitter toward me." Something shocking dawned on me. I hoped it wasn't true, but the possibility remained. "You can't…you don't still have feelings for me, do you?"

"That's absurd."

"Is it?"

"Look, Naomi, we already discussed this. Maybe I liked you. You're intelligent and attractive, and I admire those qualities. But to me, you weren't much more than a good business deal."

His harsh words stung me. I clenched my fists and refused to let the tears that threatened to flood my eyes cloud my vision. "Do you know why we never would have loved each other?"

"Enlighten me."

"Because I feel too much. Whenever someone I care about is suffering, I share it. Even you, Kaiba. You have no idea how painful it is for me to know that you and Mokuba were tortured by my father, and I couldn't do anything to stop it. Or when I see any of Yugi's group, and I realize how much they've endured. I have too much compassion for my own good, and I know that. I feel too much.

"And you," my tone hardened, "you don't feel anything at all, Seto."

He said nothing, and after five seconds of silence, I hung up. Sometimes, Kaiba's arrogance and stubbornness were almost too much to bear. I threw myself down onto the bed, clutching a pillow to me. Why did he have to be like this? Why did he have to make it so difficult for others to get close to him? I knew that deep down, he was vulnerable and alone, and the longer he stayed that way, the more broken he would become. Damn this compassion, but I wanted to fix him. I wanted it almost more than I'd wanted anything else.

Part of me wanted to scold him. So he'd had a tough childhood. So what? His little brother had had it just as bad as Seto did, and he was still a sweet, loving kid.

The other half of me wanted to hug him, comfort him, tell him everything would be okay, that he was cared for. I didn't love him in any romantic sense of the word, but he was still dear to me. I found myself regretting the harsh words I'd said to him, regretting calling him unfeeling. I was one of the few people on earth who knew just how acutely he felt things. He just wasn't one to show it. Outwardly, nothing fazed him; he had the most incredible poker face in the world, and it was probably one of the reasons he was successful as he was.

I closed my eyes. I would see him tomorrow. Now, I needed rest.

_I was back in the shadows. These shadows, unlike before, watched me with unfriendly eyes._

_I was cold. Too cold. What was this place?_

"_You're mine."_

_I froze. I knew that voice._

_(Bakura!)_

_He laughed wickedly. I searched the darkness, looking for a flash of white hair or hungry, evil eyes._

_(Where are you? Show yourself, coward!)_

"_Coward, am I?" Strong hands grabbed my arms and pinned me on my back, though I still saw only darkness. "Show me no fear before you call me coward."_

_(Release me!)_

"_Never." Fierce lips crushed themselves onto mine, the kiss not passionate but dominating, as if he wanted to take possession of my heart, mind, and body. After a moment, he lifted his mouth from mine._

"_You belong to me, my snow white Queen."_

_Queen? He spoke the word with authority, as if I were…royalty. No. What was going on?_

_I heaved forward with my hips and managed to roll him off me, searching for him fruitlessly in the dark. I stood and began to run. I didn't know where I was going, but as long as I was far from that threatening voice, it didn't matter._

"_There's nowhere to run."_

_Powerful arms ensnared me, pushed me to the ground and onto my back again._

"_You can't escape me again."_

_I thought of my love, the one whose tender kisses and gentle caresses had banished the darkness. _

_(If he finds you, he'll kill you.)_

_He laughed softly. "Is that hope I hear? Your lover won't be rescuing you this time."_

_I felt a hand on my abdomen, the tips of his fingers teasing under the soft, thin fabric of whatever I was wearing. I couldn't contain my cry of revulsion, terror, and hatred; I threw back my head and screamed, trying to pry his intruding hand from my skin. To my horror, it wouldn't budge. I felt a soft ghost of breath by my ear as he whispered. _

"_Don't scream any more, my love. All I want is you."_

_His mouth claimed mine again, and the shadows that surrounded me lifted momentarily, and I saw his burning eyes, a dangerous mesh of amber and burgundy, blazing above me. He swallowed my next cry, and I knew that he was right; there could be no escape._

"No!"

I woke, flailing and clawing at empty air. The sheets were twisted around me, and all four of my pillows were lying on the floor. It seemed as if the turbulence of my dream had translated physically as well. My heart was still pounding, and my hair was tangled around my face like a cloud. I took several calming breaths, then looked at the digital clock provided on the nightstand. 7:55. Five minutes before my alarm went off. I sighed and cradled my head in my hands. I might as well get up to face the day.

As I was stepping out of the shower, my phone rang. My stomach sank, and I hoped like crazy that it wasn't Kaiba, telling me not to bother coming in today. To my surprise however, it wasn't Kaiba's number that was lighting up my screen.

It was Yugi's.

I smiled, feeling my heart rise, and answered. "Hello?"

"Naomi? Grandpa said you and Joey came by the shop last night. I didn't even know you were in Domino!"

"Yeah, I came back to get my ring from Kaiba. And…I wanted to see you and the gang."

His tone was gentle. "They understand why you had to leave, Naomi."

"That's still not much of an excuse." I blew out a breath, pushing my hair back from my face and running my fingers through it, wincing at they caught in the tangles. "Listen, could you meet me in about half an hour? I need to speak to Yami."

"Why don't you talk to him now?" There was a moment of silence, then I heard that deep voice.

"Yugi, for pity's sake, I don't even know how to use this thing!"

Any urge to laugh was swept away by the sound of his voice, so familiar, so safe. It almost brought tears to my eyes.

"Yami?"

There were a few beats of silence, then he spoke my name. "Naomi?"

"Yes." Another giggle bubbled up at the fact that his voice was a little muffled, as if he were holding the phone wrong. I managed to suppress it. "I need to speak to you soon. Would it be possible for you to meet me somewhere?"

"Tell me where you are and I'll come find you. I'm not particularly comfortable with you out walking the streets."

I sighed. "Yami, I doubt Bakura's going to attack me in broad daylight."

"It's not just Bakura I'm worried about."

My brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I'll explain when I see you."

I rubbed my eyes and sighed in defeat, giving the address of the hotel where I was staying, and my room number. I chewed on my lip, contemplating whether or not I should say what was first and foremost on my mind at the moment. I decided that it couldn't wait until I saw him.

"Yami?"

"What is it, Naomi?" My tone must have sounded distressed.

"I just want you to know that I'm sorry for leaving."

He was silent for a moment. "You shouldn't be. It was better that way."

"Better for whom? Yami, I asked you if you wanted me to go, and you said no. But you never asked me if I wanted to stay."

"What would you have said?"

"I would have said yes."

"Naomi-"

"Please. This is something I need to discuss with you face to face."

"Alright. I'll be over in a few minutes."

"Goodbye."

I hung up the phone. In a few minutes, things between me and the mysterious Yami would be resolved, one way or another. It was strange, but I found myself a little frightened of what he would say when I finally revealed my true feelings.

If they even were true.

As much as I hated to admit it, I doubted myself. I was only human, as fallible as the rest. What if I was feeling was only a crush that would soon fade away? Did I really care for him, or was it just hormones? Honestly, I did find Yami attractive; with that oddly beautiful hair that refused to obey gravity, that slender frame that I was certain was well-muscled, and those sharp amethyst eyes that seemed to pierce through whatever they happened to be gazing at. I was drawn to him. But was it more than his physical appearance? Perhaps it was his confidence, or his determination, coupled with the loneliness I knew was buried within his heart. Maybe it was the fact that he was endearingly protective of me.

I wasn't sure what I was feeling, only that it had the potential to be powerful and everlasting. I only wondered if Yami's feelings mirrored mine.

And if they didn't, where would we go from there?

* * *

><p><em>And there you have it! Again, I apologize for the delay, my life is a little crazy at the moment. Please review, I LOVE hearing from you! Cheers!<em>


	14. Chapter 14

I sat curled up on the bed, staring at the ceiling and taking deep breaths, trying to calm myself. I was still worried about what I was going to say to Yami once he arrived, and what his reaction was going to be. I groaned; I hated this feeling. I'd never been this unsure of myself before, and it was rather unnerving.

After a while, I found I was rubbing my right ring finger with my thumb. I sighed and shoved my hands behind my head. This whole situation was turning me into a neurotic mess. As if to reinforce that thought, the sudden knock at the door made me jump and gasp.

"Naomi? It's me."

I swung my legs over the bed and went to the door, throwing it open. There he stood, and all of a sudden, the conviction that I was right, that my feelings were real swept through me. It wasn't just hormones, it wasn't just a crush. This was real, real in a way it could never have been with anyone else.

My heart seemed to swell with this sudden epiphany, and I feared it would burst through my chest for all the world to see. It brought a huge smile to my face, and I couldn't keep myself from throwing my arms around his neck. He grunted in shock, hesitating, then wrapped his arms around me in return. I felt his cheek press against the top of my head.

"It's good to see you too, Naomi."

I laughed softly at his joke, then released him. "I missed you."

"I can tell." He smiled softly. "I missed you too."

I stood, grinning like an idiot, before I realized that we were still standing in the middle of the hallway. I invited him in and stepped inside once he'd entered. I wondered if this smile would ever leave my face; my cheeks were starting to ache. Had I ever smiled this broadly for so long before?

There was a small sitting area that came with the suite, and I settled at one end of the couch, inviting Yami to sit by patting the cushion next to mine. He did, his eyes never leaving me. I was pleased to see that they were curious, rather than skeptic or apprehensive.

I realized something as we stared at each other. I had absolutely no idea how I was going to tell Yami how I felt. It wasn't exactly something one could blurt out with no introduction or segue_. "Thanks for stopping by, Yami, and oh, by the way, I think I'm falling in love with you." _Not exactly the best way to get the ball rolling. I chewed on my lip, thinking about strategic ways to bring up the topic that needed to be discussed. Finally, Yami spoke up.

"You look like you have a lot on your mind, Naomi. Is there something I can do to help?"

I smiled. "Actually, yes." I sighed. "I've been puzzling over something for a few days now, and I just can't figure out what to do. I was wondering if maybe you could offer your perspective."

"I'd be glad to."

"Okay." I drew in a deep breath, steeling myself. I was swiftly approaching the point of no return, but regardless of what lay beyond that legendary point, I knew I had to remain on course.

This was it.

"So, I've been arguing with myself for days over this thing that I'm having trouble with; you could say it's a personal issue. I just don't know what I'm going to do, because I don't know how I'm supposed to react to this…event. I mean, this is completely new to me. I don't know if it's even real, or if it will last, but all I can be sure of is that I've never felt anything this strong before. At first I told myself that it was nothing, that I was fooling myself, but then it occurred to me that I was just putting up defenses so I wouldn't get hurt. As much as I hate to admit it, I'm _terrified_ of being hurt; it's one of my greatest fears. But, now that I think about it, I realize that this has the potential to become something wonderful, so wonderful that it might be worth the risk of getting hurt. And-"

"Naomi. You're rambling a bit."

So I was. How uncharacteristic of me. _I must be in love_, I thought wryly to myself. I looked over at Yami, who I was relieved to see was smiling gently. I returned it, looking down at my lap. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. Just say what you need to."

I sucked in a deep breath and held it, then pushed out the words that had plagued me for six months. "I'm falling for you, Yami. And I need to know if you feel the same."

All was silent, still, breathless. The wind forgot to blow; birds dared not utter a single note. The silence was so complete that I believed all the hearts in the world had stopped beating. My own heart sank, and I closed my eyes, wishing hopelessly that I could vanish on the spot. My eyes stung with tears that I refused to let betray me.

A pair of warm hands folded over mine.

I looked up, blinking away a veil of unshed tears to see Yami kneeling before me, that same gentle smile on his face. His amethyst eyes were softer, not quite as sharp as they'd been before; it was as if they were smiling, too. I inhaled sharply; he was looking at me almost _tenderly_. He spoke then the words that sealed our fates.

"Yes. I do."

I almost sobbed with relief, clutching his hands desperately. "Yami…you have no idea what it means to hear you say that."

He smiled back at gave my hands a gentle squeeze. Suddenly, his eyes were level with mine, and they burned with flames I'd never seen before; a fire that did not consume or destroy, but warmed all that it touched. Their burning stare never wavered as he left his knees and sat cautiously beside me.

"Naomi, I was wondering if I could ask you something."

I nodded, but remained silent, the anticipation building in my stomach.

"If you don't want to, I'll understand; I mean, after what happened with Bakura, it's only natural-"

"Yami."

"Right." He sighed. "I'm just worried…I haven't done this before, at least not in this life, and I-"

"_Yami._" I put my hand on his arm, making his eyes lock directly on mine, the centers flashing crimson. "Just shut up and kiss me."

He smiled, that confident look returning to his face. Slowly, his hand brushed my temple and wove in my hair, his fingers combing delicately through the strands until they cupped the back of my neck. I closed my eyes and waited, hoping he had the courage to make the first move. I would have felt silly if I kissed him first.

Thankfully, he spared me that.

His lips brushed mine softly at first, almost like a kiss in a dream. Then they pressed a little more insistently, sealing themselves over mine. I was sure that if I looked down, I would see that my heart was glowing with soft golden light to match the warmth that was slowly spreading throughout my chest. My lips rose to meet his, returning the kiss, and to my joy, I felt his mouth curve into a smile. His lips were incredibly soft, yet still demanding, making me work to keep them pressed to mine. And their warmth was simply divine; I felt as though this simple act was the definition of happiness itself, and that I was finally where I belonged, my own little pocket of heaven.

Suddenly I felt his tongue brush softly against my lower lip, as if asking permission to enter. I would have smiled then, if I could, parting my lips and moaning as his tongue slid gently inside my mouth. It didn't do much more than brush against my own tongue, but just the pleasure of being connected in some way was enough for me. His hand cupped my cheek, and the instant his skin made contact with mine, I heard a voice; that soft, deep voice that seemed like an echo from a dream.

"_Fear not my touch, little dove."_

The voice faded as the kiss broke, both of us smiling as our lips became our own again. I was surprised to find out that I had lain back against the arm of the couch, with Yami leaning over me, almost pressing me back. I could feel the hard edges of his Puzzle jutting into my diaphragm. Incredibly, once he realized what he was doing, a blush rose to his cheeks. I had to stifle a giggle; it seemed Yugi was beginning to rub off on him. He sat back and smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry, Naomi."

"No, it's fine." Yami took my hand, tucking his fingers into the spaces between mine.

"Was that…alright?"

I grinned. "It was more than alright. I think I've been wanting you to do that ever since you saved me from Bakura." I raised an eyebrow playfully. "Did you enjoy it?"

"Definitely." He fussed with a button on his blue jacket, then looked at me again. "Am I as good a kisser as Kaiba?" When I didn't answer, he smiled. "I guess that's a no."

I squeezed his hand. "Don't worry. I'm more than willing to teach you a few things."

He smiled, leaned over, and kissed my cheek chastely. "I look forward to it."

I shivered as his whispered words stirred the wispy strands of hair by my ear; it was my turn to blush. I looked away, and as I did, I caught sight of the clock.

9:48

I swore in French; long ago, my father had insisted that if I was going to swear, I at least needed to do it in a prettier language than English. I jumped up from the couch, almost pulling Yami with me.

"Naomi, what's wrong?"

"I'm supposed to meet Kaiba at ten!"

"Kaiba? Why?"

Two simple words explained everything. "My ring."

"Oh. Is that why you're in Domino?"

"That, and I wanted to see you."

He smiled and took my hand again. "I appreciate that."

We ran out of the hotel and down the sidewalk. KaibaCorp Tower was thankfully only a few blocks away and impossible to miss, so we made it just in time. I gave a nod to Roland as we climbed into the elevator. In the enclosed space, I found myself craving another kiss from Yami, and was tempted to throw my arms around his neck and give him one of those lessons I promised. But I restrained myself, not wanting to make a scene. Instead, I squeezed his hand and smiled when he squeezed back.

The doors slid open, and there was Kaiba, looking as glacial and indifferent as ever. At least he was standing when we entered. He looked me over, one eyebrow raised, and I didn't miss the way his eyes lingered on our clasped hands. He huffed lightly, then motioned for us to follow him. Yami looked at me questioningly, and I shook my head. I would tell him about my conversation with Kaiba later.

We descended a stairway that was hidden behind a nondescript door at the back of Kaiba's office. After a solid minute, I asked impatiently, "Is this leading anywhere, Kaiba?"

"Be patient."

I groaned, but said nothing more. Yami gently squeezed my hand reassuringly, and I smiled in thanks.

Finally, the stairs ended in a foreboding metal door with a keypad and print scanner. Kaiba pressed his thumb to the scan plate and punched in a five-digit code, and the door clicked open, swinging noiselessly aside. Within, there was a huge laboratory, all sterile white walls and stainless steel.

Kaiba walked inside an enclosed observation booth, glancing behind him to make sure we'd followed. He nodded out of the window, and I saw my ring lying on a steel platform.

"Watch."

I directed my eyes to the platform, and suddenly, I saw the laser aimed directly at my ring.

"Kaiba, don't-!"

"_Watch_, Naomi."

I feared I would break Yami's fingers as I squeezed them to keep from running out of the booth and snatching my ring. The laser fired, the beam of red light full of malcontent, and I had to restrain myself from closing my eyes.

The beam glanced off my ring, leaving it unharmed.

My eyes went wide, my grip on Yami went slack, and I turned to Kaiba in disbelief. "Wh-what happened…?"

"Keep watching."

My stunned expression only grew as I watched the onslaught against my simple piece of jewelry. An iron block attempted to flatten it, but it wasn't even nicked. A burst of blue flame tried to melt it, but it left no mark or distortion. A pair of tines tried to pull it apart, to bend it, but the machine made no progress before it began to smoke and spark. Finally, the attempts to destroy it stopped, and I looked up at Kaiba, who seemed disinterested to say the least.

"Kaiba, what is going on? What did you do to it?"

"I didn't do anything. Your ring is somehow protecting itself. I can't make a mark on it no matter what I throw at it."

I narrowed my eyes. "Why exactly were you _trying_ to destroy it?"

He shrugged. "A laser misfired while I was testing. Purely an accident."

I turned my eyes back on my ring, which glinted innocently in the flat fluorescent light.

"Is there…anything else?"

"Stay here."

Kaiba left the booth and went out to stand by the platform. His eyes were fixed on the ring, and he lowered his hand over it. Incredibly, it began to glow with a warm, golden light.

I gasped almost silently. Whenever my ring had glowed before, I'd always thought that, somehow, it had been me that summoned the light. I didn't understand why or how that could be, it was just simply what I felt. Like the ring was simply manifesting something that my heart was producing. Now I knew that the golden glow came from the ring itself, almost as if it had a mind of its own, like it could think and feel and recognize other people. Like it was _alive._

I stepped out of the booth, Yami close behind me. "Kaiba, what does this mean?"

He withdrew his hand. "I don't know."

"Does it work with anyone else?"

"Nobody on my staff has been able to make it react the same way."

I reached for it, and the glow resumed. I felt a sensation through my body, like warm water was trickling through my veins. In my heart, it felt like a greeting, as if my ring were happy to see me.

I withdrew my hand. "Yami, you try it."

He nodded and stretched out his hand. As it neared the ring, it glowed even brighter than before, almost blinding us. As the glow faded, I noticed that Kaiba's eyes were narrowed.

"I think it likes you, Yugi."

I rolled my eyes. "Are you finished with it?"

He cocked an eyebrow. "I don't see what more I can do. All I can tell you is that the force in this ring is either too powerful for my machines, or it's simply not able to register." He turned away. "Personally, I think it's the second option."

I shook my head. It probably wouldn't do any good, but I couldn't let what I'd said over the phone be the last words between us. "Kaiba, about what I said last night-"

"Forget it, Naomi."

"I just want to-"

"I said _forget it_."

I was hurt that he wouldn't let me apologize, until he turned back to me. "You don't need to say anything. I get it." I saw that, while his guard wasn't quite down, it was a little weaker. His blue eyes were a bit less icy. And was that _regret?_ I felt that this would be the closest thing to an apology I would ever get from him. I gave him a small smile, and the expression on my face must have made him realize that I was getting through his defenses yet again. His eyes hardened, the mask slipped back on, and he turned and stalked away.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked back to see Yami, his eyes full of concern. "Naomi? Are you alright?"

I smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"What happened between you and Kaiba?"

I sighed. "I called him last night to let him know that I was in Domino and wanted to get my ring. We ended up talking about…our past. We both said some things that were hurtful. He doesn't want to hear an apology from me, and I'll never get one from him." I shrugged. "I guess you could say we've reached a stalemate."

"Are you okay?"

"I'm fine." I knew what he was really asking me, what he really wanted to know. "I care for Kaiba like a brother, even if he doesn't return the feeling. I suppose I always will."

Yami took my hand. I was surprised at how natural it felt to have his fingers wedged between mine; we weren't even dating officially, but it was undeniable that when we'd kissed, we'd become connected in some strange, magical way.

I squeezed Yami's hand, then pulled it from his grasp. I picked up the ring, the glow returning as my hand closed around it, then fading when I slipped it onto my finger. I felt a brief warmth shoot through my arm, like the ring was rejoicing at being back on my hand. Yami took my hand back, and we left the laboratory. The exits were marked, and we found our way back outside the tower with little problem.

Once we were outside, Yami looked me directly in the eye. "Naomi, there's something I need to show you. It's at the museum."

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "The museum? Yami, I don't understand."

He sighed. "It has something to do with my past life."

"Really? What did you find out?"

"Naomi…I don't know if you'll believe me. I need to show you. Will you come with me?"

I wrapped my arms around his neck and gave him a quick kiss on the lips. Yami smiled.

"I assume that means you will?"

"Of course." _I'd follow you anywhere,_ I thought. Dangerous things to be thinking at this point, but with Yami so close, I didn't care.

"Let's go."

* * *

><p><em>I wasn't sure if I should have Yami and Naomi kiss so soon, but I felt the timing was right. Thanks for reading and, hopefully, reviewing. Cheers!<em>


	15. Chapter 15

We walked down the Domino streets hand in hand, and I had to admit, I was a little nervous about what Yami was going to reveal to me. The possibilities were endless. For all I knew, Yami could have been a villain in the past. Just because he was kind and gentle now didn't mean he'd always been so. I found myself gripping his hand a little tighter, as if to keep the Yami I knew closer and the shadowy stranger of the past at bay.

Finally, we reached the museum. Yami led me inside, sending me a reassuring look over his shoulder. I smiled in return, but still my worry was not eased. We walked past the usual displays of paintings and artifacts until we reached a metal door at the back of the hall. It was marked with a sign that said "Private Gallery. Keep Out." I stopped, pulling Yami to a halt.

"We can't go in there."

"It's okay, Naomi. I have permission to enter."

I smiled and shrugged. "If you say so."

He pushed open the door and led me inside. There were three stone tablets encased in glass, and Yami pulled me to the one furthest from the door.

"Look carefully."

I did. The markings indicated that it was from ancient Egypt. It depicted two figures engaged in some sort of ritual, and as I looked closer, I gasped.

It was Yami. And Kaiba.

The likenesses were uncanny; the ancient carving had even managed to capture the hard line Kaiba's mouth became when he was focused on something, and the way Yami's eyes narrowed when he was presented with a challenge. Hovering above their carved heads was further proof that the two men were indeed who they seemed to be; over Kaiba was the legendary Blue Eyes White Dragon, with which the present day Kaiba shared a special bond, and over Yami's head was the Dark Magician, his favorite and most trusted monster. I took a step back, dropping Yami's hand.

"What is going on?"

"This is who I used to be."

My mind was whirling, trying to fit several un-corresponding puzzle pieces together. "You…lived in ancient Egypt?"

"Not only that. I was the Pharaoh."

_"Pharaoh?"_

"Yes. I'm sorry, this must be quite a shock."

I nodded, too stunned to speak. The boy I had just professed growing feelings for was not just an ancient spirit…but he was _royalty_. He had ruled over one of the greatest civilizations that had ever existed. I felt overwhelmed by this, but some small part of me was not surprised. The way he held himself, his attitude toward challengers, even his speech pattern suggested nobility and high stature. I just never would have guessed that he'd be Pharaoh.

"Naomi? Are you alright?"

I nodded. "I'll be fine. This is just…a lot to take in."

"Do you believe me?"

I smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. "Yami, if anybody could convince me that they were ancient royalty, it's you."

He laughed and wrapped an arm around my waist. Suddenly, someone appeared in the doorway.

"My Pharaoh, it is an honor to see you again."

I started, but Yami nodded. "Likewise, Ishizu."

A woman stepped into the room, wearing a long white dress that exposed her shoulders and collarbone, but did nothing to flatter her shape. She had long raven-black hair that was pulled away from her face; a gold circlet set with a green stone covered her forehead. Her skin was a deep olive-tone. Overall, she was very attractive, and I felt myself drawing closer to Yami, putting my arm around his waist as his arm rose to wrap around my shoulder. She looked at me, then shifted her gaze pointedly to Yami.

"Oh! Ishizu, this is Naomi Pegasus."

"Pegasus? Are you his daughter?"

"Yes, ma'am." I held out my hand.

"Please, call me Ishizu."

She took my hand, and when her fingers closed around mine, my ring began, once again, to glow and grow warm on my finger. However, it wasn't the only source of golden light; the necklace settled into the hollow of Ishizu's throat began to glow as well. Her free hand flew up to her throat to touch it, her black eyes turning glassy. Her mouth went slack for a few seconds, and it seemed as if she was looking through us, _beyond_ us.

As the light from the two pieces of jewelry faded, her eyes focused and locked onto me. I pulled my hand from hers, frantic questions rising in my mind. Just how many people were connected to this ring? Would the mysteries ever end? Who _were_ these people that caused my ring to react like this?

Ishizu looked from me to Yami and back again. Finally, she said in a strained voice, "Where did you get that ring?"

"My father gave it to me. It was an artifact he found in an old Egyptian tomb."

"Naomi, are you aware that you possess a magical item?"

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I just watched my ring start glowing without much of a reaction on my part; of course I knew it was otherworldly. "Yes, Ishizu, I am aware of my ring's power. I just don't know what exactly that power is or where it came from."

Yami spoke up. "There is another thief besides Marik that seeks the Millennium Items, and he claims that her ring is the Eighth Item, the Millennium Band. Is this true?"

"I don't know, but I'm afraid it's possible. There were rumors of an eighth Item, but since it was never documented, we didn't search very hard for it." Ishizu stared hard at me.

I was still stuck on Yami's statement. I narrowed my eyes at Ishizu, matching her stare for stare. "Who's Marik?"

Yami put a hand on my arm. "There are two thieves out there." I refused to let my confusion show on my face, but I simply raised an eyebrow in expectation of an answer. Yami hesitated for a moment, something that I wasn't used to seeing from him, then spoke. "Remember when I said that it wasn't just Bakura I was worried about hurting you?" I nodded. "A man named Marik has been trying to get to me using his own Item, the Millennium Rod."

Ishizu interrupted. "Naomi, may I speak to you for a minute?"

Yami looked a little taken aback, but removed his arm from around my shoulders, leaving me free to follow her. I looked at him, furrowing my eyebrows. He may trust this woman, but I wasn't sold on her yet. Yami smiled and put his hand on my cheek, the ball of his thumb tracing the ridge of my cheekbone. "It's alright, _kirei_. I'll be right here."

I returned his smile at the term of endearment, then followed Ishizu into a back room. A few artifacts were stored in glass cases; the rest of the room was filled with cardboard boxes. I turned to Ishizu. "Alright, what is it you need to speak with me about?"

"Naomi, you needn't be so suspicious of me. I'm only here to help."

I let out a breath. "Forgive me, Ishizu, but lately it seems that the majority of those who possess a Millennium Item are determined to hurt me."

"Your father didn't want to hurt you. He sent you away because he didn't want you to see the man he'd become."

I had to work to keep my face relatively emotionless, though I was sure the slight widening of my eyes betrayed my shock. How on earth could she have known about my father? My gaze dropped to her Necklace.

"Ishizu, what power does your Item give you, exactly?"

She gave me a vague smile. "I know your father personally, Naomi. My Necklace has nothing to do with it."

"How do you know him? I don't recall him ever mentioning you."

"It's of little importance." Her oil-black eyes fixed on me. "The true power of my Item is the ability to look into both the past and the future. I saw Yami's past and was able to tell him all that I saw. Hopefully, that will be enough for him to complete his destiny. But when you shook my hand, I saw another vision of the past. _Your_ past. Naomi, your fate intertwines with Yami's in more ways than you can imagine."

For some reason, her words inspired both fear and satisfaction. I didn't much care for the words "fate" and "destiny" for they always seemed to bring about tragedy. However, the suggestion that Yami and I were supposed to be together granted me a sort of fierce happiness that had a rather possessive side to it. I was suddenly craving to know more. "What did you see?"

"Two colors; white and gold. An ancient Egyptian city. Two clasped hands with matching rings. Shadows. Darkness. Fire and blood. Two pairs of red eyes."

My heart sank. "That's not very specific, Ishizu. What makes you think that your vision has anything to do with Yami and me?"

"Your ring triggered the vision, which leads me to believe that it wants me to see something, if it is indeed a Millennium Item. I could also feel both of your spirits in the past." For the first time since we'd shook hands, Ishizu touched me, placing her hand softly on my shoulder. "Be very careful, Naomi. You could be in great danger."

I nodded; I still hadn't forgotten the words "fire" and "blood" that had come up when Ishizu mentioned her vision. "Thanks for the concern, and for the information." I gave her a small smile. I was still a little apprehensive about her and her ability to see both the past and future, but I couldn't detect any traces of deceit or malice in her eyes. She was telling the truth, and she was genuinely worried for my well-being. To be honest, I felt somewhat relieved that she was on our side; the power of post and pre-cognition was a formidable weapon.

"Can I ask why you weren't comfortable discussing this in front of Yami? After all, it sounds like this involves him, too."

Ishizu sighed. "Most of it, he already knows, and I will let him explain it to you. I simply thought that he had enough to deal with already, and that this is something he'd rather hear from you. Besides," she added with a gentle smile, "I don't need my Necklace to see that Yami already cares for you deeply and will protect you with his life. It is wise to be cautious, but you are in good hands." She nodded, then left the room. I went to follow her, but she had vanished. I blinked once, twice, then re-entered the room where Yami stood, waiting. He took my hand as we left, squeezing it gently as if to tell me that he was glad I was back.

Once we were back out on the street, Yami looked at me. "So, what would you like to do next?"

I raised an eyebrow. "I was under the impression that there was a huge Duel Monsters tournament going on. Aren't you in it?"

"Of course."

"Then shouldn't you be dueling?"

Yami looked a little sheepish, an expression that was better suited for Yugi. "I haven't seen you in six months. Besides," he murmured, his low voice sending rather enjoyable chills down my spine, "you're more important than any card game."

I feigned shock. "This, from the King of Games himself? I'm deeply honored." I tried to use my teasing tone to mask the shivers that were still running through me, but Yami quickly saw through that. He slipped his arm around my waist and pulled me against him. The proximity made my heart pound crazily against my ribcage; I was sure he could hear it, perhaps even feel it against his side.

"You never answered my question. What would you like to do next?"

I sighed. There were plenty of things I wanted to do, but first things first. "I need to speak to you. About…what we saw at the museum."

He sighed. "I suppose I do owe you a better explanation. Would you like to go somewhere more private?"

I nodded, leaning my head against his shoulder. "You pick, and I'll follow you."

He smiled and led the way to the game shop. We waved at Yugi's grandpa, who shot us a knowing look, then went upstairs to sit on the battered couch in the Muto's living room. I folded my legs underneath me and leaned against the arm of the couch. "So, start explaining." Yami looked a little hesitant, so I put my hand on his arm. "Hey, it's alright. I've already accepted that you were an ancient Egyptian Pharaoh. How bad could the rest possibly be?" He sighed and gave me a small smile.

"Alright." He took a deep breath, then turned his eyes on me, that all-too-familiar crimson flashing deep within the violet. "You know that I ruled as Pharaoh in ancient Egypt. When I was king, I saved the world from an evil that threatened to destroy it. Now, according to Ishizu, that evil has returned, and it is my destiny to defeat it once again." He took my hand. "Remember the man I mentioned earlier, Marik?" I nodded. "He seeks my power, believing that he should be Pharaoh. I fear that he is the evil that Ishizu spoke of. He almost hurt Yugi." I saw the flash of painful anger in Yami's eyes, and I understood. As close as he and Yugi must be, the idea of losing him must be hard to endure. "We were separated…one of Marik's servants took the Puzzle, and Yugi had to face him alone. Afterwards, he set the place on fire in a panic. Yugi refused to leave me. If it hadn't been for Joey and Tristan…" His lips pressed into a thin line, and I could see him struggling to keep his emotions in check. I nodded, scooted closer, and rested my head in the hollow of his shoulder, wrapping one arm around his waist. I hoped that this would serve as some small comfort to him.

Apparently, it worked, because he returned the gesture by putting an arm around my shoulder and taking my hand, holding it up by my shoulder. We were silent for a moment, simply absorbing the feeling of being so close, then I spoke. "So, what all do you know about Marik?"

"Not much. He has a Millennium Item that allows him to control the minds of others, and he's determined to get my Puzzle any way he can." I felt Yami's sigh stir a few strands of my hair. "Please, while you're in Domino, don't go anywhere alone. If you need to be somewhere, call me, Joey, or Tristan. Preferably me." I could hear the smile in his voice, and returned it with one of my own.

"Yami, I'm not as helpless as you seem to think I am." I suddenly flashed back to those moments when Bakura had me trapped, pinned against a wall; his hands on me, his lips crushing mine. I blushed suddenly, and Yami must have guessed what I was thinking about, what I was worried about.

"You're right. You're not helpless, and you're not weak. But for my peace of mind, please, just do what I ask."

I nodded, deciding that even if I didn't want to ease Yami's anxiety, I'd still be in favor of traveling in pairs or groups. I tried looking up at him to gauge his expression, but all I ended up doing was brushing my lips against his collarbone. I felt a small thrill of triumph when I sensed Yami shiver slightly against me. I decided to take advantage of this, and turned around so that I was facing him. I draped one of my legs over one of his; not quite straddling him, but putting myself in a position where I could easily do so. His eyes widened at my sudden shift in posture, and I had to bite the inside of my lip to keep from laughing. He could be so innocent sometimes, so unsure of things, that he reminded me of Yugi. I leaned into him, putting my arms around his neck.

"You know how I said I'd be willing to teach you everything I know about kissing?" He nodded, looking both nervous and excited. "Here's lesson one."

I brushed my lips against his so lightly that I wasn't sure they had touched at all, pulling back slightly to entice him to follow. I felt a rush of breath flow from between his lips before they sealed themselves over mine. I smiled inwardly and nibbled softly at his bottom lip, feeling one of his hands weave itself within my hair and cup the back of my neck, pulling me closer. It was very obvious that he was gaining more confidence with each second the kiss remained unbroken. I opened my mouth and sought out his tongue, giving it a quick tap and encouraging him to let it move, explore. I was suddenly given a very lovely surprise; he needed no instruction on how to utilize his tongue to enhance the pleasure of a kiss. It began a slow, languorous investigation of the inside of my mouth. I moaned and leaned into him, feeling his free hand curve within my waist, sliding the hem of my shirt up my side so that his palm could rest on my skin…

"_WHAT THE_-?"

I gasped and brought my head up, tumbling off of Yami; I was surprised to see that somehow, I had ended up in his lap. When did that happen? I looked up to see Tristan, Tea, and Joey standing in the doorway, their faces turning a deep red. Joey looked nauseated, Tristan looked dryly amused, and Tea looked…well, conflicted. Like she was fighting between laughing and yelling. I immediately turned a deep crimson, Yami's blush matching mine perfectly.

"I'm sorry, we were just-"

"Giving each other a dental checkup?"

I glared at Joey. "Shut up, Wheeler."

Tristan started smirking. "Didn't know you had it in you, Yugi."

Tea squeaked out, "Tristan, I don't think that's Yugi she was kissing."

He furrowed his eyebrow, looking confused. "Huh? Of course it's Yugi, who else would it- oh."

I pulled my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them to hold them there. "I'm sorry you guys had to see that."

Joey shrugged. "Eh, it's all good. Just…unexpected, that's all."

"So, are you dating or something?"

I rolled my eyes. _Dating_ was such a trivial word; it made my relationship with Yami sound like a teenage crush. But I supposed there wasn't really a better term. "Yes, Tristan. You could say that we're dating." Yami took my hand, smiling gently.

Suddenly, Tea's blue eyes went wide. "Naomi! You're here!"

I blinked in confusion. "Yeah…I've been here for the last three minutes you've been standing there staring at me."

She shook her head. "No, in Domino! You didn't tell us you were coming!"

"I wanted it to be a surprise."

Tristan snorted. "Well, we were definitely surprised."

"You shut up too, Taylor."

Yami spoke up. "She came back to get her ring from Kaiba." He turned to me. "Is it alright if I tell them about what Kaiba discovered?"

I nodded, and as he spoke, I started thinking about what Ishizu had told me. Yami's fate and mine were intertwined "in more ways than one," she'd said. Did that mean we'd known each other in the past? How was that even possible? I supposed that in a world where a piece of jewelry could predict the future and evil seemed to stalk the streets on a daily basis, anything was possible. I'd never really thought much about reincarnation, but I didn't rule it out. Maybe I had some ancient counterpart that knew Yami five thousand years ago. Could we have been friends? Perhaps more than that? _Two clasped hands with matching rings_. It sounded like a married couple. My stomach gave a funny little twist at the thought. _Shadows. Darkness. Fire and blood._ Those words made me think of Bakura, and I couldn't suppress the shiver that ran down my spine at the thought. We already knew he had existed in ancient Egypt, but was it possible that I had known him, too? It seemed highly unlikely coincidence that I had known them both, and both had come back into my life in the present. I found myself pressing against Yami, clutching his arm to keep him close to me. Even though our relationship had only begun to grow, I was sickened at the thought of losing him. And if Ishizu's predictions of the past reflected the future, which I feared that they would, then losing him seemed all too possible.

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><p><em>Finally! I am so sorry it took me so long to update. I was really lacking in motivation. I promise I'll try to do better :)<em>

_"Kirei" is Japanese for "pretty." At least that's what the website told me. If I'm wrong, please let me know, so I don't look like a complete idiot._

_As always, I ask for reviews. They help me a lot. Cheers!_


	16. Chapter 16

Hey there! Just a heads-up, this entire chapter is written from Bakura's point of view. Sorry it's a little shorter than I would have liked, but it was hard to write this without giving away a lot of spoilers.

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><p><em>Eyes the color of old wine watched the five shadowy silhouettes move around beyond the window. Bakura smirked to himself, leaning against a building across the street. Briefly, he considered storming up the stairs, disposing of the other four, and claiming what was rightfully his. He relished the thought of seeing her marvelous blue eyes widen with fear, seeing her body tense as he approached. The very suggestion of it brought back a flood of memories that made his wicked grin increase. Even as the desire to steal her away flooded through him, he pushed it away. Now was not the time. If his new accomplice held up his end the bargain, the girl would be his soon enough. <em>

_He walked through the streets, watching the shadows lengthen and grow deeper, his thoughts unerringly on her. No doubt she was busy with the Pharaoh and his group of friends at the moment. A stormy expression crept onto his face, his hand clenching into fists at his side. Their trivial amusements were of no importance to him, but the fact that she was with that spiky-haired brat caused the edges of his vision to turn red. _

_It was astounding, really; he'd expected that five thousand years would dull his strong desire, but it seems that time had only sharpened it. It was more torturous now than it had been all those years ago, and his landlord was beginning to notice. The boy had suffered before from dreams that the Spirit had both unknowingly and, later on, willingly transferred to him; nightmares that contained dark faces and malicious shadows, causing the child to bolt upright and gasp for breath. Now the dreams had changed; they still made his host gasp for breath, but in an entirely different way. Some nights, just for the sadistic thrill of it, Bakura would send Ryou these visions simply to watch him writhe and thrash, moaning in his sleep._

_Yes, he desired her even more now than he did all those years ago. He sneered; some fools might sigh and call it love, but they would be sorely mistaken. Love was for the weak. He had never loved another in his life; even as a child, he had been incapable of loving his family and friends. His thirst for revenge wasn't driven by love. He simply wanted to punish those who had taken something that belonged to him. And now, he sought the girl not because he loved her, but because he wanted her. She was simply another possession for him to steal; the loveliest and most precious treasure he'd ever had the desire to make his own._

_A little later, he stood within the bedroom of his host, undressing so that his landlord's body could get the rest it clearly craved. The Spirit himself didn't need any, but to keep up appearances, he had to make sure the boy got a healthy amount of sleep. He stood in front of the floor-length mirror Ryou kept on the back of his bedroom door, wearing nothing but those absurdly flimsy shorts they had the nerve to call undergarments. Honestly, the styles of this modern age baffled him. _

_He closed his eyes, allowing sweet memory to overtake him for the moment. He had told her the truth when he said that he recalled much of their history together. He remembered quite clearly the thickness of her hair; the exquisite feeling of feathers and silk brushing maddeningly against his skin. The heat of her when he'd gotten too close, the feel of her heart pounding away beneath his hand. He grinned wickedly as he recalled the sound of her screams echoing from the stone walls, exciting him more than the whispers of any other lover. _

_Every single intimate detail was etched in his senses. He was sure that when she was re-acquainted with her ancient past, Naomi would not remember their interlude as fondly as he did. After all, he hadn't given her much of a choice, had he? Then again, all the greatest treasures in the world were taken by force. Why should she be any different? Besides, his reasons for wanting her were more than just common lust. She was the Pharaoh's weakness, the one thing he couldn't bear to lose. Therefore, she made an excellent bargaining chip; bait for the foolish king. It pleased Bakura to know that he could easily take from the Pharaoh that which he treasured the most._

_Especially now that he was no longer working alone._

_When that fool Marik had first proposed the arrangement, the idea had been born. He recalled the conversation between them:_

"_Alright, Marik, we have a bargain. However, I would like to suggest a slight alteration."_

_The Egyptian's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Such as?"_

"_There is a girl who has grown very close to the Pharaoh, and he in turn cares for her very deeply."_

"_What are you suggesting?"_

"_Take her from him. It will weaken the Pharaoh and bend him to your will. Believe me, men like him are willing to do _anything_ to save their loved ones."_

_Marik smiled deviously. "I see. Yes, she would make an excellent mind-slave."_

"_Not quite. There's a catch, I'm afraid."_

"_What is it?"_

"_When you've captured her, I demand that she be turned over to me."_

"_Why?"_

"_My reasons are my own, but let's just say that she and I have some unfinished business to attend to."_

_Marik scrutinized the pale boy. "Why should I give her to you? She sounds like she could be quite valuable. How do I know you're not hiding something from me?"_

_Bakura rolled his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest. "If you must know, she possesses the Millennium Band."_

_Marik's eyes widened. "But that was only a legend. The Item itself was never found."_

"_Her father found it on one of his many trips to Egypt."_

"_And who is her father? What is the girl's name?"_

_Bakura grinned. "Her name is Naomi Pegasus. I suppose you can figure out who her father is easily enough."_

"_She's Maximillion Pegasus' daughter? I didn't know he had children."_

_Bakura huffed impatiently. "Do we have a deal? The Pharaoh's downfall in exchange for the Millennium Rod and the girl?"_

_Marik looked wary, no doubt fearing the repercussions if the tycoon found out that the boy had put his only daughter in harm's way. Bakura smirked "Is that hesitation I see in your eyes? Perhaps, if you lack the spine and the conviction to carry out your end of the deal, we should call off the whole arrangement right now."_

_The young Egyptian raised his Item defiantly. "No. I shall capture the girl for you, Bakura, although I do wonder why it is you can't do it yourself."_

"_Like I said before, my reasons are my own."_

"_Fine." The boy climbed back onto his motorcycle, preparing to leave._

"_Oh, and Marik?" Bakura's voice was quiet and deadly. "I'd be quick about it if I were you. I'm not a very patient man."_

_Now, alone in the dark, Bakura grinned wickedly. With the power of two Millennium Items working against her, the girl wouldn't stand a chance. He would have her in his arms again soon, and once he did, he would wrap her in chains so strong that no earthly force could break them, locking her away from the rest of the world and keeping her only for himself. He prided himself on his selfishness; after all, wasn't it human nature to want to keep the best for yourself? He was simply embracing one of simplest truths of humanity that no one seemed to want to admit was real. He'd seen over and over again that when the thin veils of light and kindness were stripped away, all that was left was darkness and shadow. _

_He climbed into the boy's bed, not bothering to pull the covers over himself, then lay on his back with his hands under his head, staring at the ceiling. Her enticing face swam before him, her features twisted with pain and sorrow, her silvery hair falling in her face. He smirked and pictured her as he'd seen her last, wearing only a few maddeningly thin pieces of fabric to cover herself, the rest of her exposed skin covered in small cuts and bruises. He remembered pressing his lips to those tender areas, the kisses fierce enough to cause her pain. He remembered the silky feeling of her mouth against his fingers as he had caressed those rose-petal lips, forcing them open for an intrusive kiss. The warm velvet softness as he ran his hand up those incredibly long legs, ignoring her pleas for him to stop, smirking as he had wrapped those slender legs around his waist…_

_He shuddered. Whether he meant to or not, he would certainly be transferring some unsettling dreams to Ryou tonight. It would be rather amusing to watch the boy squirm and whimper; Bakura had noticed that the child even blushed in his sleep. He laughed quietly to himself. Innocence in any form was just as much fun to observe as it was to destroy, as he had discovered very early on in his career. Slowly but surely, the boy whose body he inhabited was losing his innocence as well. It would take a while to wear it away, since everything about Ryou was pure and uncorrupted, but Bakura knew that eventually the darkness would take over the light in the young one's soul. _

_Nobody could stay pure in this harsh world for very long. Not even little Yugi, the Pharaoh's host. He sneered to himself; the noble Pharaoh would never refer to Yugi as his "host," using terms like "partner" and "friend." They were both idiots. Bakura only needed Ryou to exist in this world, not for companionship or friendship. The foolish Pharaoh should know that depending too much on others would only lead to a harsh downfall. _

_It mattered little anyway, considering that the ruler would find that out soon, when his most precious treasure was taken away from him. He didn't really know how Marik planned to grab the girl; most likely by using his loyal followers and mind-slaves to corner her. Suddenly, Bakura found himself wishing that he could be the one to capture her, wanting to feel her body pressed against his, trapped by his hands. He wanted to see the fear and panic in her eyes as she realized that there was no escape. He wanted to feel the vibrations her anguished moans made against his lips when he kissed her throat. But he knew it was best to let Marik do his dirty work. After all, the Pharaoh and his band of followers would be on the lookout for Bakura, since the girl was back in Domino, and they wouldn't be expecting to have to protect her from Marik's henchmen. _

_A disturbing thought crossed Bakura' mind; what if Marik figured out why Naomi was so special and wanted to keep her for himself? The girl was a magnificent prize, and he was suddenly sure that Marik would want to steal her from him. He growled, his lips pulling back into a snarl. He could take back the girl with barely any effort, but the thought of another man having her in his arms, touching her, kissing her…it filled him with rage and bitter jealousy. She was his. She belonged to him and him alone. If anyone else touched her, he would gladly sever their hands from their wrists._

_Even as the worry presented itself, he shrugged it off. It was very unlikely that Marik would figure out Naomi's secrets; even if the Egyptian wanted her solely for her beauty, it would be easy enough to take her back from him. If it came to force, he could simply send Marik to the Shadow Realm and take the Rod and the girl. No matter how these events played out, the sinister thief would get his way._

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><p>So there you have it. As always, hope to get some reviews from you, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Again, sorry that it's short. Cheers!<p> 


	17. Chapter 17

_*twitches* I am SOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry that it took me so long to post. I've had to deal with a LOT of issues lately. Like being broke. And evicted. And homeless. To name a few. Anyway, here's the next chapter. Hope you like!_

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><p>We sat in Yugi's living room just talking for a good three hours. I had to admit, it was really quite nice to sit and talk with friends with the warm weight of Yami's arm around my shoulder. There was something about him embrace that made me feel safe, protected, like nothing could ever harm me. I wasn't used to this feeling, and subconsciously, I tried to rebel against it, not wanting to seem weak or dependant on others. But I supposed it was worth appearing a little fragile to have that comfort.<p>

Around eight, Joey stretched himself out on the couch and grumbled, "Can we go _do_ something? My butt's gonna fall off if we sit any longer."

Tea rolled her eyes, but I agreed with Joey. My legs were beginning to get very stiff. "Sounds like a good idea to me."

Tristan perked up. "Hey, how about we go to the movies?"

I hadn't been to the movies in a long time, since I was a child, so of course I agreed instantly. "What do you think, Yami?"

He saw the eager expression on my face and smiled. "The movies it is."

We all stood, stretched, then headed out the door, waving goodbye to Yugi's grandpa as we left. The theatre was a good ten blocks away, but after sitting so long, we needed the exercise. Of course, once we arrived, the process of choosing a movie began. Tea and I were in the mood to see something funny, while Joey and Tristan wanted to see something fraught with action and explosions. Yami remained indifferent, not knowing enough about the movies to give an opinion.

Finally, we settled on something that had some comedy for me and Tea, and enough car chases to satisfy the boys. Yami tried to pay for my ticket with some money he and Yugi had won from smaller Duel Monsters tournaments, but I refused good-naturedly. Just because we were together didn't mean I needed the "knight-in-shining-armor" treatment.

Once inside the theatre, snacks and sodas in hand, Joey and Tristan began fighting over whether they should sit farther back or further up toward the screen. Finally, Tea rolled her eyes and pointed to a row in the middle, commanding both boys to park it and shut up. I sidled in and waited for Yami to sit by me, but to my surprise, Joey leapt over a row of chairs to plop himself into the chair beside mine, cutting off Yami's advance. Tea reached over and smacked him soundly upside the head. He turned to glare at her.

"What? I don't want them making out through the whole movie!"

"Move it or lose it, Joey."

He grumbled and slipped into the next chair over, allowing Yami to sidle past him and take his seat. He arched his eyebrows at me, and I shrugged, leaning close to whisper in his ear. "He's just looking out for me in his own weird way. He's like my brother, you know?"

"Mm."

Yami took my hand, twining his fingers between mine, and rested our clasped hands on my leg. I smiled and gave his hand a quick squeeze. I failed to notice, however, the sudden devious smirk on Yami's face. Suddenly, there was a shift beside me, and I felt rather than saw the golden glow of the Millennium Puzzle. The hand that was holding mine didn't belong to Yami anymore.

He'd switched places with Yugi.

The younger boy's face instantly turned a fiery red when he realized what his counterpart had done, and his cheeks turned redder still when he saw that he was holding my hand. He yanked his hand from mine as though he'd been burned, and shouted down at the Puzzle. "That was a dirty trick, Yami!"

I collapsed in helpless, silent laughter as the ladies in the row in front of us shot Yugi scandalized looks. I didn't think Yami was capable of pulling pranks; sometimes it was easy to forget that he was still just a guy, and a young one at that. At least in mind; in spirit, he was much older. I sighed as the lights dimmed. It seemed as though I had a lot to learn still about my ancient Pharaoh.

Roughly two hours later, we exited the theatre, stretching and giggling, making comments about the film we had just viewed. Joey and Tristan had started a popcorn fight in the hallway with the crumbs that were left in their buckets, and Joey already had two or three pieces stuck in his hair. Tea was talking animatedly with Yugi about the plot, and I leaned against the wall, watching them with a smile on my face. It had been a good day today, and this seemed to be the perfect ending. As we walked outside into the rapidly cooling air, however, something tugged at my heart; a strange sense of foreboding. Suddenly, I didn't want to be alone in the darkness anymore. I wanted Yami.

Mentally, I chastised myself. Where did this childish fear come from? Putting aside all that had happened to me in the darkness of the Domino streets, I straightened my back and picked up the pace, walking with the rest of the group. I would not let Yami become some kind of crutch or security blanket. He kept me safe, but I wouldn't rely on him to do so. I would not become a damsel in distress.

About halfway back to the game shop, I felt a confident hand grasp mine, the spaces between my fingers being wonderfully filled. I smiled, knowing Yami had come back out. I reached up and smacked him with my free hand, smirking at the surprised expression on his face. "What was that for?"

"For pulling that trick on Yugi." His scowl was quickly erased as I pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. He cocked an eyebrow at me.

"And that?"

"That was for letting him enjoy the movie with his friends."

Yami smiled. "Well, he'd never say anything, but he was getting bored being cooped up in his Soul Room all day."

"Soul Room?"

"That's where the spirit that doesn't currently inhabit the body resides. Inside the Millennium Puzzle, we each have our own room. I've never been inside Yugi's, but mine is…complicated."

I frowned. "Complicated how?"

"Well, it's kind of like a labyrinth, but more so. It's impossible for me to figure out." He pressed his lips to my temple. "Maybe someday I can show you."

I pulled myself closer to his side. "Maybe."

One by one, everyone went their separate ways, leaving for home, until it was just me and Yami. He kissed my temple and said, "May I walk you home?"

I smiled at the polite way he asked, and nodded. His arm still slung around my waist, we walked slowly in the direction of the hotel. It seemed that only moments passed before we were back at my room, and frankly, I wasn't quite ready for him to leave yet. I invited him inside, perching next to him when he sat on the sofa. Almost out of habit, he put his arm around my shoulder. "Do you need anything while I'm here?"

I thought a moment, then shook my head, not voicing the thought, _Just you being here is all I need_. I didn't particularly care for the sappy way it sounded, although every word of it was true. We sat for a minute, which turned into thirty, which turned into an hour. He sensed me dozing off, and suddenly, I felt arms wrapped around my shoulders and under my knees, lifting me and snapping me out of my doze. "Hey! Put me down right now!" I struggled, twisting out of his arms and landing none too gracefully. I straightened and shook back my hair. "What was all that about?"

Yami looked rather nonplussed. "You were falling asleep, so I was trying to put you to bed."

My expression softened a bit. "You could have just woken me up, you know. I'm capable of getting to bed by myself."

He sighed. "Naomi, I understand that you want to feel independent, that you don't need to rely on anybody. But sometimes it's alright to let your guard down. Don't you trust me?"

My shoulders slumped. "I do trust you, Yami. But…this is so new for me. I've never felt so safe with anybody else, and it scares me."

"That doesn't make much sense."

I nervously ran my fingers through my hair. "Look. I trusted Kaiba, and we fell apart. I trusted my father, and he hurt me. The only two people I've ever had faith in, in my entire life have let me down. I've come to expect that, to prepare myself for it." I felt like I was doing a terrible job of explaining. "When you trust someone, you're vulnerable. I'm not used to that. And lately, it seems like I can't take any chances. What if Bakura wanted to hurt you to get to me? Or the other way around? Do you think I could live with myself if something happened to you?" That finally did it, and two tears slid down my cheeks. Yami took my hand, his expression solemn.

"I understand, Naomi."

I stepped up to his and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Listen. This will get easier for me; I'll adjust. You've just got to be patient with me, okay?"

He smiled and rubbed his nose playfully against mine. "You've got it."

I laughed softly, then yawned. Yami grinned. "You still need to get to bed." He guided me to the bed, his hand hovering on the small of my back, then took my hand. "Do you want me to stay with you until you fall asleep?"

I considered it for a moment, then shook my head. "No, I think I'll be alright. Thanks for the offer, though." He seemed a little crestfallen, so I squeezed his hand. "Baby steps, Yami."

"Right." He stared at me for a moment, then brought my hand to his lips, kissing it and looking at me through his eyelashes. God, when he did that, a tremor went through my entire body. "Call me when you wake up, alright?"

I shook my head slightly, recovering. "S-Sure."

He smiled, brushed my hand with his lips one more time, then left the room. I shivered and crawled under the covers, not even bothering to slip out of my clothes. I felt a strange quivering sensation in my stomach, and I curled into a ball. This was all so new…even when I'd been with someone else, I'd never felt this way. It was frightening…but exciting. I smiled to myself, closing my eyes. What an adventure this little romance was turning out to be.

When I woke the next morning, I immediately went for my phone. My jeans and shirt were twisted around me from sleep, and I straightened them while I dialed Yugi's number, hoping that he would pick up. After two rings, I heard that familiar deep voice. "Good morning."

I smiled. "Good morning to you, too."

"Did you sleep well?"

"Fairly well." I brushed my hair back from my face. "So, what are your plans for the day?"

"Well, I was planning on dueling a little, but if you'd rather-"

"No, no! You should go, I'd hate for you to drop out of the tournament for not winning enough duels." I smiled.

"Would you like to tag along?"

I wrinkled my nose. "I'm not a huge fan of crowds. I think I'll go visit Duke, see how his shop is doing. It would be nice to see it for myself, instead of looking at a sheet full of numbers."

Yami laughed. "Okay. Just be careful. Don't go anywhere without him. When you're done, call Tea. She'll most likely be with me, and we'll come get you."

I felt a surge of something strong an unpleasant; jealousy? Why was I suddenly jealous that Yami was spending time with Tea? I cleared my throat. "Sure. I'll see you then."

"Bye, Naomi." There was a pause, and he whispered, "Keep yourself safe."

I bit my lip and nodded, then remembered he couldn't see me. "I will. You do the same, alright?"

"Sure."

"Bye."

I hung up, then stood and stretched. Well, no time like the present. I showered and changed, then stopped. I considered asking Joey or Tristan to come with me; Lord knows they would have been more than happy to oblige. But Joey was probably out dueling as well, and although neither of them wanted to admit it, Joey needed Tristan there to cheer him on. I didn't want to pull either of them away from what they were doing. Besides, Duke's shop wasn't terribly far from the hotel. And it was broad daylight outside; Bakura wouldn't dare attack me during the day. I left the hotel, walking at a brisk pace. What I failed to notice, however, were the shadowy, cloaked figures that were trailing me surreptitiously.

I was within sight of Duke's shop, only two blocks or so away, when someone darted out in front of me, blocking my path. He wore a long purple cloak, his hood pulled up to obscure his face. He said nothing, but simply stood there. I started, then asked, "Excuse me, but I need to get through."

Still nothing.

I huffed impatiently. "Will you move, please?"

"No."

I shook my hair out of my eyes, anger rising. "Look, I've asked you nicely. What is it you want?"

Just then, two more purple-cloaked figures came at my from either side, and I felt a strong hand clamp down on my shoulder. I turned around and looked back into an extremely tanned face, the left cheek covered in tattooed runes. His eyes were hard and sharp, and his voice held no emotion as he spoke. "It's not us you should be worried about. Master Marik gave us specific instructions concerning you."

_Marik._ The man Yami had warned me about. Fear rose to stifle the anger, but before I could make an attempt to wriggle out of his grasp, something struck me. White exploded across my vision, then everything faded and became black.

* * *

><p><em>BWAHAHAHA! CLIFFHANGER! Yup, so again, sorry that it took me so long. Please review, I love hearing from you! Cheers!<em>


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